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ADVENTURES 



OF 



RUDOLPH BARD Y DE KOTATSI, 



HUNGARIAN EXILE, 



in 



ITx\LY, HUNGARY AND TURKEY. 



WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. 



ROCHESTER, N. Y. ; 

PEESS OF LEE, MANK & CO., DAILY AMERICAN OFFICE. 

1855, 



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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1855, by 

RUDOLPH BAKDY DE KOVATSI, 
In the Clerk's Office of the Northern District of New York. 



CONTENTS. 



Pa«k» 

Italy in 1847, 9 

The Skirmish of Governolo, 22 

The Second Fifty Lashes, 44 

My Part in Italy, 65 

The Battle of Novara, _ 91 

Kossuth, _ .122 

The Assassins and my humble self, 152 

My Prison and Flight, _ 176 

The Crime in its Nakedness, 219 

Testimonials,. _ 233 



THIS VOLUME 

IS RESPECTFUTLY ASCRIBED TO 

THOMAS AMORY, 

COLONEL OF THE INDEPENDENT CADETS OF BOSTON, MASS., 
AS A PROOF OF THE 

EVERLASTING RESPECT AND GRATITUDE 

OF 

THE AUTHOR. 



PREFACE 



Undoubtedly every one who participated in the late Euro- 
pean revolutionary struggle, may properly relate, without exag- 
geration, scenes whose authenticity, if confirmed, would make 
them worthy of public attention. With regard to this point, I 
would direct the reader's attention to the certificates appended 
to this volume. 

As to my motives and purposes in giving publicity to this 
narrative, I leave them to be discovered by the reader. I only 
remark here, that many of the most respectable citizens of the 
United States have aided me in carrying out this task ; and 
since by insurmountable difficulties it has been long delayed, I 
cannot repress a feeling of satisfaction upon being able at last 
to place this volume in the hands of those who have not denied 
me their assistance in the hour ®f need. 

THE AUTHOR. 



INTRODUCTION. 



I am well aware that in the field of authorship there is no 
task more difficult and delicate than the autobiographer's. If 
the author is self-denying, he cannot paint his own character 
with colors which might be interpreted to flatter himself, how- 
ever indispensable this may be to the truth of history, or to a 
correct understanding on the part of the public. And on the 
contrary, if he has a little vanity, the result is still more unfor- 
tunate. Considering all this, and knowing that no human be- 
ts ' O 

ing is perfect, I have determined, in tracing my path on the 
sea of events, to keep for my compass the truth inviolate, and 
to relate candidly every act and occurrence. I do so, trusting 
that if the reader shall find me in some instances to have man- 
aged erroneously, too hastily, or with lack of discretion, or too 
impulsively, he will kindly pardon me, remembering that race, 
climate, education, and mode of life exert a powerful influence, 
even if they do not lay a complete and life-long foundation of 
a man's character; and if, on the other hand, he shall discern 
in me some lineaments of an honest man, he will ascribe it not 
to my conceit, but my determination to narrate events precisely 
as they transpired. 

Finally, I ask the reader's forbearance and charity towards 
my imperfect and erroneous style in the English language. I 
have the more confidence that this will not be refused to me, 
because it is only two years and four months since I first 
breathed the free air of this glorious republic, to which I would 
wishfrom my heart to be forever united. 

RUDOLPHUS BARDY DE KOVATSI. 



ITALY IN 1847 



« Italy 

The clang of broken fetters heard, 

And thoughts like her own chainless sea, 
Within her throbbing bosom stirred." 



When the flag of Freedom — "La handier a tricolore" — 
•was unfurled in Italy, in the year 1847, I found myself in a 
Hungarian regiment of the Austrian army — the Archduke 
Francis Ferdinand de Este's 32d Line Infantry. This I en- 
tered voluntarily, some six years ago, and at the period when 
this history commences, I was honored with the grade of Cor- 
poral. How I arrived at this dignity, and why I did not reach 
the rank of Field Marshall, the reader shall be informed in the 
course of this sketch. 

About the middle of November, 1847, the second battalion, 
in which, also, my humble self served, was ordered to leave 
Mantua and march to Modena,* to tranquilize the " rebellious 
people," as the Austrian Government styled them. 

Already might be seen the infallible symptoms of the im- 
pending revolution. "Morte ai Tedeschi/" — Death to the 
Germans ! — was written on every corner stone from the Capi- 
tol at Rome to the Mediterranean and Adriatic shores. Even 
the King of the Lazzaronis — i. e. of Naples — the King of 



* Mantua is the strongest fortress of Lombard/. Modena, weakly fortified, is the 
metropolis of the Duchy ; also the residence of the Archduke. They are divided 
by the channel of Secchia. 

1* 



10 IT AL Y I N 1847. 

Sardinia, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and His Holiness the 
Pope, had sided with the tumultuous people, who were tossed 
to and fro, like the waves of an angry sea, one moment lifted 
mountain high, the next descending to a valley's yawning 
depth. Exasperated by the systematic cruelties, oppression, 
and perfidy of the Austrian government, all their views, thoughts 
and feelings were concentrated into a sentiment of glowing hate, 
and a burning, insatiable thirst for revenge. No wonder that 
the tyrant, like the ship-master whose vessel is threatened to be 
crushed and swallowed by the stormy waves, which seem to 
have no other impulse than to revenge themselves on the fragile 
ship, riding so proudly on their mighty back, managed like the 
sea captain, who, borne along on the very back of his adversary, 
is just able to reach the port. 

Among the insurgent, though yet harmless people, who, ex- 
ceedingly irritated and exasperated, beset us' en masse at every 
important point in our journey, we set forth on our march with- 
out attacking or being attacked. At the first glance it might 
be perceived that our position was purely passive, having the 
strictest orders to endure peaceably every insult, contumely and 
menace whatever, except actual assault. And indeed during 
our march there was no scarcity of the keenest sarcastic taunts, 
for every one knows that in this rhetorical figure the Italians 
are unsurpassed. And occasionally their sarcasm was so ill- 
timed that I am not sure my countrymen — old soldiers and 
high-spirited as they were — would have quietly suffered it, 
notwithstanding the most stringent orders, had they understood 
the language as well as myself; while the officers, pale with an- 
ger, were scarcely able to swallow their mingled rage and 
hatred. 

At last, by forced marches we arrived in two days at the 
gates of Modena, where we were welcomed by the Archduke, 
who was also the nominal proprietor of our regiment. His 
Highness the Duke was attended by a suit of some sixty or 



ITALY IN 1847. 11 

seventy officers, with uniform of every color, and belonging to 
every corps of his Modenese army. Whether they were not 
able to defend him against his people, or His Highness did not 
trust them , I am unable to say. 

Before we entered the city, our Colonel ordered the music 
band — sixty to seventy strong — to play the Rakoczy's March 
during our defile through the city — the very march by which 
some hundred and fifty years ago, Rakoczy led his brave vol- 
unteers for the religious and civil freedom of Hungary, agaiDst. 
the sanguinary intolerance and intrigues of the Pope, as well 
as against the tyrannical usurpation of the Hapsburg-Lorrain 
house. By this very march we were led by the Hapsburg- 
Lorrain family, to oppress the civil and religious freedom of a 
nation. 

This march has to this day a powerful and extraordinary in- 
fluence on every true Hungarian heart. The nobly sad melody, 
the genius of heroism, the memories connected with it, revivify 
the weary, inspire bravery in the daunted, and make dear and 
sweet death on the battle field for freedom. No wonder if my 
countrymen at the first sound of it, gained a new spirit and 
marched along the streets with melancholy sadness, but proud- 
ly, dignified and straight forward. By this the people were 
more and more irritated, and though the Modenese soldiers 
formed along the street a living fence on either hand, to pre- 
vent the people from approaching us, yet the demonstration of 
their disapproval and disgust was more vivid, more sharp, more 
cutting, insulting, and menacing than we had met on our 
journey. 

The reader may imagine that such a reception was not very 
agreeable to my countrymen, whose hearts and sympathies were 
not with Austria, but with the Italians. Bu + , they, not under- 
standing our language and feelings, and not knowing our char- 
acter and position, indulged themselves in ridiculing us, while 
my countrymen in like manner misunderstood them. But I, 



12 ITALY IN 1847. 

who understood both, and knew their character, was convinced 
that if they insulted, blamed, and manaced each other, it was 
the usual delightful (?) fruit of Austrian policy. And I was 
convinced that if they were able to read mutually the feelings 
of their hearts, the thoughts of their minds, the vote of .their 
souls, they would not hesitate a minute to shake hands and 
unite against the common oppressor; — for who is more hardly 
oppressed than a Hungarian soldier of the Austrian army ? 
Seized in the night time, in his sleep, l»y stranger soldiers — 
among his parents, brothers, and sisters — bound with ropes or 
ironed, taken away among bayonets to a strange land, to serve 
twelve or fourteen years, and not seldom for life, as an instru- 
ment to oppress a people who in his lifetime had never done 
him or his nation any harm. While at home his relations 
shed tears for his sake, as long as they have a drop left, and 
not seldom a rose-like fair one grows paler and paler, and falls 
into an untimely grave, being deprived for long years or for- 
ever of her promised husband, to her the only sweet solace 
among so many bitternesses by which the pitiful condition of 
the Hungarian is overflowed ! 

Under such circumstances I deemed it my duty, imposed not 
only by the calumniated honor of my nation, but also by the 
holy cause of Italian freedom, and by the impulse of humanity 
to prevent as far as possible the massacre which might be the 
natural consequence of such misunderstanding — to explain to 
the Italians our position, feelings, and opinions; and to my 
own countrymen the mistake by reason of which the Italians 
treated us in so repulsive a manner. 

No sooner had I laid aside my military burdens than I took 
apart some of the most trustworthy of my countrymen, explain- 
ing to them the matter with such eloquence, logic, and reasons, 
as I was able to command and deemed suitable to my purpose. 
My advice was — "To refuse unanimously to serve Austria 
in oppressing the freedom of whatever nation ; to unite our- 



ITALY IN 1847. 13 

selves morally with the Italians, and physically to demand, and 
even, if necessary, to force, sword in hand, our way to our 
country." After having recommended to my countrymen to 
spread this doctrine among our brothers, and being persuaded 
that, they had not only a strong inclination for it, but a firm 
and positive resolution, I hastened to find the Italians. 

After some interrogatories, I was told that on the same even- 
ing was to be held a great meeting at Cassino Hall. At an 
early hour, it being prohibited to remain till late in the city, I 
found myself at the door. But though early, the Hall was al- 
ready so densely filled, that if I had not worn the Austro-Hun- 
garian uniform, I could not have gained admission. But the 
hated costume not only opened my way, but at my first request 
I was allowed to speak, while the whole assembly, with re- 
strained breath, awaited with anxious curiosity what I was 
about to say. And I said : 

"Cittadini/" — Citizens! — "I am a Hungarian. I love 
my nation much, and its honor more. As such, I feel entitled 
to present myself before you, and address you in behalf of the 
honor of my country, and also in your own. You accuse the 
Hungarian nation of ordering or permitting us to come here to 
oppress your rightly-claimed liberty. This is without doubt a 
great and sad mistake, not to say calumny. For the Hunga- 
rian nation never consented, much less ordered its sons to 
oppress the constitutional freedom of any nation whatever; 
and if we are here and used by the Austrian Government for 
such a purpose, it is against the will and consent of the Hun- 
garian nation — it is even against our own will and principles. 
The most low-minded among my countrymen knows well and 
feels deeply that — to use their own words — ' One neighbor 
has no right to command in the house of another, and if he 
does, and shall be turned out, this is right.' This is the opinion 
and firm conviction of my countrymen, significant enough to 
show you that if we are not with you we are certainly not 



14 ITALY IN 1847. 

against you, nor is the Hungarian nation. !N~ow I pray you 
only allow me to remark that the repulsive, sarcastic, and me- 
nacing reception which we met, as well on our journey as in 
your city — your contemptuous and provoking manner awoke 
the military pride and national jealousy of my countrymen, he- 
cause they do not understand your motives, as you, on the 
other hand, do not know our feelings, character and position. 
In short, what I wish is no more and no less than this — that 
instead of adding to the difficulties which to our common dan- 
ger have hitherto separated us, we should attempt to destroy 
those already existing, and unite ourselves, if not physically, at 
least morally, against the common oppressor. Under such cir- 
cumstances I can guarantee that they are not yet altogether 
despoiled of every lineament of humanity, though long under 
the pestiferous education of the Austrian Government, but are 
yet not wholly unworthy to be called Hungarians." 

For some moments a deathlike silence reigned over the whole 
assembly, not one eye, but hundreds being fixed, surveying me 
in my whole length, repeatedly. At length a gentleman of 
respectable exterior questioned me thus: 

"What is your name?" 

"Do not ask my name, sir; but be persuaded without it 
that I have spoken the truth, and the purest and most fervent 
wish of our hearts", replied I. 

" Well !" said he, " we do not doubt it, but an honest man 
never refuses to give his name." 

" If you take me not to be an honest man, because I refuse 
my name," I replied, "I am very sorry. But if you will prom- 
ise to believe me fully, and proceed according to what I have 
said, I will tell you, and have the pleasure of becoming in your 
eyes an honest man, and the reward, which is all I wish, of 
knowing that my words are not lost like foot-prints in the des- 
ert," added I, with some feeling of indignation that they did 
not believe my words. 



ITALY IN 1847. 15 

* I promise it," said he. 

And I told my name. 

" You are also a native born Hungarian ?" 

" And a corporal in the Imperial aud royal army of Austria," 
added I, being unable to suppress a slight compliment and an 
ironical smile. 

At this time a mysterious noise passed along the ranks of the 
assembly, and I distinctly heard some remarks, as — " Eh puo 
esser una spia di Radeczky" "Ah ! may be a spy of Radeczky" 
— "Laseiatelo andare" "Let him go" — "JVon andate in dis- 
curso" " Do not speak with him" — " JE" 1 meglio die se ne vadi" 
"It is better to let him go" — tl JVori si puo crederli" " Cannot 
trust him, etc. • 

During this noise the gentleman who questioned me said, I 
was very welcome with my message, and he promised to use 
his influence in persuading his countrymen to act conformably. 
And he made some short but spirited remarks on the treacher- 
ous conduct with which Austria had all along treated the Hun- 
garian nation. But his voice was scarcely audible amidst the 
noise which resounded from every part of the hall, but of which 
I could hear only some broken words, enough, however, to 
perceive that they disbelieved me, and rather suspected me to 
be a spy. And so, shaking hands with my interrogator, I left 
the hall, and to my great regret I -heard the outbreak of dis- 
cordant, satiric laughter while I was descending the marble 
stairs. 

Going home — that is, to the Cittadella,* which was at 
some distance from the city — I reflected on the matter. Con- 
cluding that the Italians not only distrusted my words, but be- 
lieved me to be an Austrian spy, I indeed pitied them. But 
consoling myself with the consciousness that I had done my 
duty, I forgot their satiric laughter and doubtful remarks which 
were the result of my humane, pure, and fervent desire. 



* A fortress built for the purpose of destroying the city by bombardment. 



16 ITALY IN 1847. 

The signal of morning prayer had no sooner aroused the 
sleeping sons of Mars, than I was ordered to present mj self be- 
fore the Captain. This order did not surprise me, but when 
the officer on duty ordered me to put down my sword, I con- 
jectured that my address of the last evening had been reported 
for such a journal as I had never meant it for. 

Entering the office and in a military manner saluting my 
Captain, he asked me what I had spoken yesterday evening in 
the hall, to the Italians. 

"I defended the honor of our nation," I answered, "and 
our own ; because I hope we are Hungarians, and wish and 
mean to be worthy of our nation." 

" My dear friend !" said the captain, in a tone a little more 
sensitive than usual, for he himself was a Hungarian — " The 
soldier has no nation — no fatherland. The soldier must be 
obedient — that is all. I am sorry, very sorry for you, be- 
cause you were born under an unhappy planet. You will be 
shot." 

" Well," said I, " if it is for defending the honor of my na- 
tion, I will suffer it without grief or lamentation. Nay, I will 
be proud of it." 

" Unhappy man !" said the captain, with half compassion, 
half merriment, and giving the order, in less than five minutes 
I was chained " in cross,"* both hands and feet. In such a 
manner, only the criminal sentenced to death, is ironed. 

About nine o'clock the same morning, I was brought before 
my colonel, f He asked me in the most horrible manner — 
*' What have you spoken to those Italians?" * 

I repeated my words. 

" Upon my honor," said the colonel, not without emotion — 
*' had you been any other man of my regiment, I should not 



T That is, the right hand to the left foot, and the left hand to the right foot, 
t Named Jos. Cassellibz, born in Stjria. A good-hearted man, but a mere in- 
strument. 



ITALY IN 1847. 17 

now be hesitating a single minute to give you into the hands 
of the martial law, to be shot without pardon. And if I do 
not, it is not for your sake, but for the sake of your family — I 
do not wish to embitter the few remaining days of your aged 
parents. But one word more to those Italians — a single syl- 
lable with them — and I will not forget that I owe you three 
balls. For the present" — addressing the captain — " let him 
be degraded forever, and have fifty hard lashes this afternoon, 
in the presence of the battalion." Saying thus, the colonel left 
me to the care of a captain and two corporals, who did not 
forget to secure me, but only with one chain ; and they locked 
me up in my former prison. 

I had plenty of time to reflect on my condition. As to my 
colonel, I knew him to be a man who did not trifle with his 
words in such matters, and I had no doubt the barbarous pun- 
ishment would be inflicted upon me. After a serious consider- 
ation, I determined that it was better to die, than submit to 
such an inhuman, debasing, and humiliating punishment. 
Yes! I concluded that my good old parents would prefer the 
fame of my death, incurred in self-defence against such an in- 
human procedure, which would stamp shame on the front of 
my whole family. With this firm decision, I managed to ex- 
tricate myself from my chain, and putting off all my outer gar- 
ments, I waited the moment of my fate. In the whole of this 
very serious situation, nothing was so troublesome to me as the 
thought that I had been suspected by some of the Italians in 
the meeting, of being an Austrian spy ; while the very spy who 
so infamously reported me, was undiscovered in their own bo- 
som. With my natural sincerity, I had only acted, as the 
reader may conceive, a little incautiously and indiscreetly. But 
after making a full confession and a fervent prayer to my Crea- 
tor, the Supreme Judge of all, I forgave every one who, will- 
ingly or unwillingly, had offended me, and I felt more than 
enough courage to meet the imminent crisis. 



18 ITALY IN 1847. 

In the afternoon, about half-past three, the officer on duty 
entered my prison. Seeing me not only liberated from my 
chain, but stripped of my garments, in his astonishment he 
brought his hand to the hilt of his sword, swearing in a horri- 
ble manner — for oaths are familiar to the Austrian officers, 
who are skilled and excel in their shocking composition. He 
exclaimed : " What are you doing ? Put on your clothes, in- 
stantly !" 

I remained motionless and mute, as I lay on the wooden 
bench, sustaining my head in my left hand. 

" Don't you understand me, you Hungarian noble ?* Come, 
come; we will now put the seal on the patent of your nobility," 
added he, sarcastically. 

" Not while life remains," answered I, in a tone which showed 
that I spoke with my whole heart and soul. " Go you, sir, and 
report to him who orders the execution, that I am a man, and 
not an ox, and I will not go on my feet upon a stage where I 
know eternal shame, humiliation, and infamy, that I have never 
deserved, await me." 

" Aye ! aye !" remarked he, with ironical compassion. •' You 
forget that we have thousands under our command, and that 
such kind of play may cost you clear, my brave fellow. " 

" I forget nothing. I know what you suggest to me. I am 
decided to defend myself. That is all I say — that is all I do," 
replied I, with a firmness equal to my determination, 

"We shall see," said he, making a sign to the corporal who 
stood near him ; and with a diabolical laugh mingled with ex- 
ultation at my imminent danger, he left the prison followed by 
the corporal, who made me a sign of approbation, but with all 
this, he carefully locked up the massive door. 

I knew that under such circumstances, if a soldier, under- of- 
ficer, or officer, resist the guard, he may be killed at once, or 



* He was bora in Hungary, but of a lady who paid a short visit to Hungary, and 
afterwards returned to occupy her place as Dame d'fioneur of her Majesty. 



ITALY IN 1847. 19 

shot at the bidding of the commander, without any responsi- 
bility. But I decided to die rather than submit myself to the 
ignominy. Yet in this fearful and threatening situation of my 
life, there appeared to me a spark of hope. This was the sym- 
pathy of the whole regiment in which I served, and in which I 
was kindly regarded by every man, for doing them some trifling 
services, and never any harm. The simple knowledge that I 
had been sixteen times chained for refusing to beat men sen- 
tenced to fifty, eighty, or a hundred lashes — that I had never 
undersigned a sentence of death, because in the cases in which 
this punishment was pronounced, the sentence was not only un- 
just, cruel, and inhuman, but the greatest and darkest satire 
upon justice and humanity ; this knowledge of my character, I 
say, attached the regiment to me with respect and sympathy, 
and I cherished the hope that they would not obey the order 
to shoot me. After a few minutes I heard the steps of the ap- 
proaching guard. In a second the door opened, where stood 
the lieutenant at the head of the guard. 

" Put on your clothes, or you shall be shot!" ordered the 
lieutenant, with his whole authority — but of which he had 
very little, in spite of all his efforts to assume it. 

I remained motionless and mute, as I lay on the wooden 
bench, sustaining my head in my left hand. 

" If you do not obey, so much the worse for you," said he, 
almost suffocated with rage at my laconic conduct. " Platoon !" 
commanded he to the first three men at the door, in front — 
" Ready !" 

And three muskets fell in a horizontal line with my head, 
while the click of the hammers was distinctly audible. 

" No ! no !" exclaimed I, in the very sound of my opened 
heart ; " You, my countrymen — you cannot shoot me. You 
know I love you, and ever have. If I must be shot, let it be 
done by stranger hands. Do not stain yours with a brother's 
blood, whose only crime is that he defended the honor of our 
nation. 



20 ITALY IN 1847. ' 

The lieutenant saw that the address made an unexpected im- 
pression, for the soldiers fixed their eyes mildly and imploringly 
on the face of the lieutenant, but meeting a look of indescriba- 
ble surprise and rage they began to pray me not to resist the 
order, but be obedient, while their muskets lost their aim. 

The lieutenant, seeing this unexpected demonstration, with 
irrepressible rage and perplexity, exclaimed, " This is mutiny ! 
This is treachery ! I will announce the whole guard as rebel- 
lious. Away with your arras ! Take him and bind him, if 
you wish not yourselves to taste the sharpness of my sabre l* 

" Take him," he ordered once more. 

'• Take him, if you please, sire lieutenant," answered one of 
the soldiers, * but we will not put our hands on the body of 
this man." 

The lieutenant either had no authority or no courage, or 
it was beneath his dignity to attack me and cut me in pieces* as 
it is written in the military code of Austria, in such cases as 
this. But he ordered to shut the door, and returned to report 
what had occurred, to Captain Mozer,* who commanded the 
execution. 

A few minutes passed and the door opened again. A num- 
ber of Modenese soldiers rushed into the prison unarmed. I 
had scarcely time to get up and take a position with the iron 
chain, which was my only weapon of defence, before I was sur- 
rounded by every side. After some blows had been exchanged, 
I was taken both by my feet and hands. Putting my clothes 
on, they carried me on their shoulders to the place of execution 
and bound me to a bench so tightly as to intercept the circula- 
tion of blood. Then two martial corporals, famous for the inflic- 
tion of lashes, commenced their torturing experiment on my back. 

Not so much the agony caused by the management of the 
unmerciful Sclavonic corporals, as the consciousness of finding 
myself in such an infamous position, took away my presence of 



* A born Hungarian, but renegade. 



ITALY IN 1847. 21 

mind, and at the fifth stroke of the lash I had entirely fainted. 
When I regained consciousness, I found myself in bed, among 
some others also in bed, whose pale faces showed that the place 
was the Infirmary. And indeed I felt unspeakably miserable, 
when it was told me by the superintendent that after twenty- 
eight lashes, the surgeon of the regiment declared that I would 
die if the punishment should be fully extended.* The remain- 
der were remitted for the present on condition that they should 
be inflicted after I should have recovered from the first. 

The reader may imagine that under such circumstances, a 
mind so excited as mine was, being occupied at once by so 
many different thoughts as my situation suggested, was not 
strong enough to suffer the attack with calmness. On the sec- 
ond or third day I was seized by a typhus and nervous fever ; 
and it was supposed that instead of the punishment reserved for 
me, and newly deserved by resisting the guard, I should be 
locked up forever in an insane asylum, or sent home for the 
great pleasure and consolation of my poor old parents ! 

Such was the reward of my humane intentions — namely: 
by the Italians I was suspected of being a spy of Radeczky, 
while by the Austrians I was beaten like a highwayman or 
thief — except that during my punishment , some of my coun- 
trymen, hard, war-worn soldiers, could not refrain from tears; 
while the guard, six in number, were sentenced each of them 
to fifty lashes, which they endured more bravely than myself, 
for they uttered not a sigh nor a word for pardon. 



*It was a special favor, as in general the punishment must he fully executed. If 
the victim die in the midst of the lashes, the remainder must be inflicted on the 
dead body. 



THE 

SKIRMISH OF GOYERNOLO. 



" 1 spoke of most disastrous chances, 

Of moviDg accidents by flood and field, 

Of hair-breadth, 'scapes i' th' imminent deadly breach." 



The second of January, 1848, was the " Dies irce, dies ilia? 
when the infernal punishment was inflicted on me, by which I 
was confined to my bed two and a half months. When the de- 
lirious crisis of my sickness had passed away, and I had recov- 
ered my mind, I understood that negociations were going on, 
and that probably the Austrian Government would agree to, 
and grant the constitution sought, to every people under its 
crown ; and also that the Grand Duke of Modena, as an appen- 
dage of Austria, would imitate her example. But I, who had 
been so long educated in the Austrian school, who knew the 
sad history of that country during the reign of the Hapsburg- 
Lorrain House, and who liked to look to the \erj bottom of 
every matter, hardly believed those rumors. Accordingly, 
when, on the 19th of March, we received official news that the 
constitutions claimed by Italy and Hungary were undersigned 
and sanctioned by His Majesty Ferdinand, I conjectured that 
this was nothing else than the song of an imprisoned bird, 
which the hunter has brought out to fascinate the free ones, 
and make them fall into his grasp. 

— And I guessed well. 

When the news was announced to the people of Modena, 
they became aa eccentric in their joy, hope, and exultation, as 



SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 23 

they had been in their bitterness, threats, and thirst of revenge. 
To describe the scene, or rather the transition, by which this 
people in less than half an hour had fallen from one, the most 
terrible and menacing extremity, to the other, that is, an inebri- 
ated cheerfulness — this, with its hundred variations, is for my 
pen, a little too prolific a matter. I say only, that every dark, 
suspicious looking, revenge vibrating, provocation flashing, or 
sad, melancholy, and fearful face, became as serene as the cloud- 
less sky, from which the sun burningly diffuses and sends down 
his rays, as their faces the rays of their joy. 

The arsenal was opened, and conformably to the new consti- 
tution, the City Guards were organized and armed. Proces- 
sions were going and coming in every direction, hundreds and 
thousands of flags waving over their heads, with gilded inscrip- 
tions — " Viva Pip JVono /" Long live Pius Ninth ! Balcon- 
ies, windows , lofty terraces, were covered with lovely ladies of 
the city, waving their tri-colored handkerchiefs, on which the 
likeness of His Holiness was printed or embroidered in gold or 
silver. 

"We Hungarians, too, received orders to quit Italy and march 
into Hungary. This news, as the reader may imagine, filled 
the heart of every Magyar with unspeakable joy and gladness. 
Italians and Hungarians became brothers, and in their reciprocal 
cheerfulness embraced each other. In short, every one thought 
that the days of sufferings and tribulations had gone forever, 
and the days of freedom, gladness, and happiness were about 
to dawn. Indeed, at this instant the people were happy, and 
I thought, " How little it costs tyrants to make millions happy !" 
But the people, as well as my poor self, were deceived — de- 
ceived because we had deceived ourselves first. 

Among all these festivities, of which I was rather a spectator, 
the thing, which appeared most strange to me, was the hur- 
ried departure of the Archduke. The distribution of arms was 
not yet finished, the procession was not yet over, nor was the 



24 SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 

usual "Te Dewnlaudamus" for the new constitution, chanted. 
All was in the greatest disorder and confusion, caused by the 
unlimited joy — only the Archduke was busy, very busy, about 
leaving the city. And I sighed, " My God ! my God ! Are 
the hearts of these tyrants so poisoned that they cannot — 
if not partake — even behold the happiness of their people ?" 
I was going on in such kind of thoughts, when a touch upon 
the shoulder awoke me from my revery. 

"Buono giorno, fratello Ungarese!" Good morning, brother 
Hungarian — saluted the man who owned the hand that touched 
my shoulder. 

"Buone giorno, signore!" replied I, while turning towards 
him, I was contemplating the significant physiognomy of the 
Italian race, and the manly stature attired in the knightly cos- 
tume of the middle ages. 

" Vi ricordate a me ?" Do you recollect me ? asked he in- 
quisitively. 

li It seems to me that you are the gentleman with whom I 
had the honor to speak in the Casino Hall, some weeks ago," 
replied I. 

"Si, sono quello" said he, and continued, " I heard of your 
fatal lot, brought on by your daring and noble declaration, and 
I am not only sorry for it, but I have sworn alia Madonna 
Santissima — by the holiest virgin — that if I find out who 

was the dog that denounced you, I — I " Here, with a 

significant glance he looked and pointed at the handle of his 

poinard. "I — I But enough of it ! you are a brave 

fellow." Pressing my hand repeatedly and fervently, he con- 
tinued, u You may well be proud of this, because you have suf- 
fered it for our common holy cause, which, as you see, has tri- 
umphed — triumphed because it is just and holy. "Now, all 
danger is over. The despots are annihilated forever. They 
are no longer any more than the shadow of the light — the ex- 
ecutors and servants of the people's will, as they ought to be. 
What is your opinion ?" 



SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 25 

■ " Well, sir," replied I sincerely, '• I have grown up under 
Austrian education, and I see things differently from you. I 
think, for instance, that the danger is not over — that, the ty- 
rants actually now just begin to plot against you, and they con- 
spire not only to recover their former usurpation but to revenge 
themselves — and the revenge of tyrants is terrible. Ask Po- 
land — she will tell. You are a leader: consequently you 
have influence among your people. Were I in your situation 
I would not permit the Duke nor our battalion to depart, but I 
would detain both, at the point of the bayonet, if there were no 
other means — detain them as prisoners and hostages till the 
further development of affairs in the other principal kingdoms 
and provinces of the Austrian Empire. Believe me, sir — be- 
lieve me fully, because I speak from experience, and sincerely, 
— that the Duke will return, when your city shall be taken by 
foreign bayonets, among whom our battalion may figure yet. 
You will be disarmed even of your pocket knives — your con- 
stitution abolished — your people down-trodden. Under such 
circumstances the Duke will return and select the victims for 
his revenge. I wish verily from my heart, that your head may 
not fall as a living testimony that I speak the truth. We Hun- 
garians shall not go into Hungary. No, sir! I have but one 
head, but I pledge it to you if we shall. The whole is a trick, 
of which Austria, you well know, is never in need — a trick on 
purpose to lead us into a trap, that is to say, among other for- 
eign troops, where there will be no more opportunity as favora- 
ble as the present one for sympathy, fraternity, union with you. 
Yes, sir! We shall be compelled, with cannons pointed to our 
back, to battle against you ! The whole is a strategem, by 
which General liadeczky intends to concentrate his scattered 
force. Dispersed as it is now-a-days, it is weak, and may be 
defeated at every point, but united, it will become strong enough 
to resist until succor shall arrive, particularly in some of the for- 
tresses. You will see we shall fight together, each against the 



26 SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 

other. What will be the result? It is impossible to foretell; 
but whatever it may be, if you detain the Duke you will 
have always at the diplomatic market a great and fat bull, for 
which the highest price may be asked and will be paid, while 
Sua Altezza — His Highness — in your possession, cannot do 
any mischief, but if once at large he will not give up acting the 
part for which he is educated and destined by his Hapsburg 
family. And with regard to our battalion, do you make an 
appeal to us, stating the circumstances, promising that you will 
treat us in a friendly manner and transfer us into our own 
country as soon as opportunity and circumstances allow, and I 
guarantee you, sir, that our battalion will without hesitation de- 
posite their arms in your hands.* The battalion is 600 strong, 
well trained soldiers, and I hope that in time of action and need 
you will see and be convinced that we are more disposed to 
fight for your freedom than against it, providing you will give 
us opportunity and a possibility for it. This, sir, is my opinion," 
concluded I, with heartiness, and as positively as I was con- 
vinced that I was right. 

"No, no; Caro mio amice? 1 — my dear friend — replied 
the leader, with the sincerest self-confidence. "These rascally 
Dukes shall never return into this country, or if they do, they 
must be what they ought to be, else we shall know how to man- 
age these muskets, which from his kindness are now distributed. 
And you too, brother Hungarians, you shall go home and nev- 
er come back again as soldiers of Austria, to insult our ladies, 
fairer than angels in paradise, to profane our churches, to devas- 
tate our statues, built by divine inspiration, to desolate this de- 



* Four companies of the Istbatt., of the same regiment, and one squadron of 
Hussars, under such circumstances, had deposited their arms at Colorno. They 
arrived at Trieste, where they were forced to take up arms, come hack, and fight 
against Italy, in violation of their oaths, for they — half forced, half voluntarily — 
pledged themselves never to take arms against Italy. Some refused to violate their 
oaths. Four of them were sentenced to be shot, sixteen to run the gauntlet uutil 
6000 blows were received, and t-en to a hundred lashes — all deadly sentences.— 
Thus Austria observes her oath. 



SKIRMISH OF GOVEKNOLO. 27 

lightful Eden of Europe; but if you come, you shall be here 
as our guests, and shall be welcome. You may enjoy in peace 
the delicacies of our ever green, ever blooming garden soil — 
the odoriferous air of our ever serene sky. And we will take 
care that returning home you have no reason to complain to 
your friends of the hospitality and liberality of the Italian 
nation." 

Alas ! all that happened was totally contrary to this fanciful 
but noble utterance ! 

The gathering signal of the drummer bade me leave the 
chief and join the battalion, which was about to march into 
Hungary, as they said. 

Had this leader given ear and trusted to my advice, and 
had his companions done likewise to some of my countrymen, 
who like myself advised them, I were not now compelled to 
confess and acknowledge with the deepest regret and to the dis- 
credit of the Hungarian nation, that my countrymen stationed 
in Italy executed the sacrilegeous plan by which the tyrants 
plotted to murder the best and bravest hearts of the Italian 
nation. 

The families fearing a bombardment of the city, had previ- 
ously left it, but were now returning to join their brothers and 
sisters in their national festivity. Only the Archduke in a splen- 
did carriage drawn by six snow-white horses, and escorted by 
some of his gens d' arms on horseback, and by our battalion 
on foot, had fled the city, proceeding slowly and in the deepest 
silence, as Death does when going for his victim. 

While these things were happening in Modena, the people of 
Milan rose, and after five days' hard fighting, forced Radeczky's 
Croats to leave the city.* If the story might be believed, it 
was reported that General Radeczky saved himself by covering 
his dear old body with the robe of a Catholic priest, and his 



* See "/ cinque giorni di Mila.no." 



28 SKIRMISH OF QOYERNOLO. 

head with a triangular hat, riding on an ass and distributing 
his blessings by forming crosses over the heads of the bystand- 
ing people ;* and so he succeeded in entering Mantua " incog* 
nito" 

The other cities followed the example of Milan, expelling the 
Austrians and taking possession of their towns. But the cities 
of Verona and Mantua, fearing a destructive bombardment by 
the towers and citadels which entirely commanded the towns, 
w r ere not so decisive in their action as their neighbors. Although 
they made some strong demonstrations, yet they could not ob- 
tain the keys of the city gates, and so contented themselves 
with sending a strong body of volunteers to every gate, to con- 
trol the Austrians, f and to resist the entrance of other troops. 
And indeed, when we arrived at the gates of Mantua they op- 
posed our entrance. It was not permitted, until, after many 
entreaties, General SgorkowszkyJ and our colonel pledged their 
word of honor — nay their heads — that we should remain in 
the city no more than twenty-four hours, and afterwards pro- 
ceed peacefully to our own country; and the good people of 
Mantua, by advice of their archbishop, and perhaps influenced 
by our being Hungarians, received us. 

Three days elapsed, yet our battalion was still in the city, 
kept under the strictest surveillance, and rigorously confined to 
Trinity Church, in which it had been quartered at its arrival. 
The people anxious to know the reason of this perjury on the 
part of the Austrian officers, waited on General Sgorkowszky, 
to demand it. But his Excellency was not to be found 



* This seems a proper place to recite the extempore verses of a Roman poet who 
said to the Pope on a similar occasion : 

" Mille crucps formns, crucibus nos Papa coronas, 
Quas ferimus mul:as te rogo tolle cruees.'* 

f At this time there were no other Austrians in Mantua, than two hnttalions of 
Italians: that is, the first battalion of Rgt Haugovitz and the third garrison battal- 
ion — except the Cannoniers in the citadel, who were Bohemians and Moravians 

\ A Pole, but renegade — at present civil and military commander of Venice. 



SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 9,9 

at his residence, and in the afternoon of the same day, to the 
no little surprise and astonishment of the people, four regiments 
of infantry, about sixty pieces of artillery, and the appendage of 
a division, as cavalry, pioneers, sappers, etc., entered the city 
with their respective music bands, and in half an hour the 
proclamation of Gen. Radeczky was posted up on every corner, 
ordering the people to surrender their arms and instantly de- 
liver them at the military arsenal, at the same time threatening 
death to every one, without distinction, who after twenty-four 
hours should be found in possession of even a sharp pointed 
knife. 

And the armed people of Modena, like so many sheep, obeyed 
the order, carrying their arras in dozens to the designated lo- 
cality. Indeed, it seemed that he was happiest who soonest 
liberated himself from such an unnecessary burden as arms in 
time of revolution ! My countrymen beheld this conduct of 
the Mantuan people with deep disgust, and remarked with their 
native simplicity and sincerity, that a people who dare not and 
will not sacrifice blood and life for freedom, are hardly worthy 
of it. 

Radeczky thus became master of the four strongest fortresses 
in Lombardy — Mantua, Verona, Legnago, and Pischiera, the 
two latter being of few inhabitants — from five to six thousand 
— which were heavily counterbalanced by Austrian troops. 
From these connected points, the General began his operations 
against Charles Albert, who commanded also the volunteers of 
Lombardy and Tuscany, and the Romans, who under General 
Durando, at Ferrara, crossed the Po, and also fifteen thousand 
Neapolitans, sent from King Bomba, of Naples. 

To enter into particular details of those conflicts, or to exam- 
ine them from a military view, or to investigate the manoeuvei-s 
and behavior of the different generals who pro and con figured 
in the battles fought in April, May, June, and July, in the year 
1848, in different places in Lombardy, is not my purpose. I 



30 SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 

confine myself to those in which my humble self was concerned, 
so far as the clearness of this history renders it necessary; al- 
though I will not fail, nor can I fail, for the interest of histori- 
cal truth, to state plainly and sincerely the impressions made on 
my mind and heart by the course of these manceuvers. 

Confined as we were, against our will, to the fortress of Man- 
tua, there remained for us no other alternative than to submit 
ourselves to the iron discipline of military life. To rise in re- 
volt, our battalion was not only weak in comparison with other 
Austrian forces in the fortress, but was very little encouraged 
by the conduct of the people, who, after delivery of their arms, 
fled the city en masse. To unite ourselves by desertion with 
the Italians : this was impracticable, for the city was surround- 
ed by walls at least twenty-five feet high, and also by water for 
a distance of from three to four miles, w r hich a certain weed of 
luxurious vegetation rendered impracticable for swimming. 

Our officers — chiefly Austrian* — were well aware of our 
feelings and inclinations. They did not trust us, while on the 
other hand, they put in circulation every false rumor to make 
us believe that the Emperor of Austria gave to each nation in 
his empire a most liberal constitution, but the Italians, not sat- 
isfied with this most gracious concession of his Majesty, request- 
ed Charles Albert to come and help them massacre our hand- 
ful of an army, promising him the iron crown of Lombardy and 
Yenice. Charles Albert and his allies came and crossed the 
Ticino like freebooters, and murdered our outposts like assassins. 
The falsity of this ever-perjured race ceased not here, but started 
anew by publishing false reports that Charles Albert and the 
generals of his army had resolved to return every deserter from 
the Austrian flag, as soldiers unworthy of their daily food. In- 
deed, two Italians, young fellows from the Chasseur battal- 
ion, whom Charles Albert ordered to be returned, had been 



• Generally illegitimate eons of the "Dames (Thoneur du Court de sa Majvsti." 



SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 31 

shot as deserters. And it seemed to rue not very improbable 
that our Hungarians who should be caught in the act of deser- 
tion would be sent to Verona or Pischiera and shot before the 
Austro-Italian troops under the same false pretext as the Ital- 
ians were shot before us. Though these false rumors and shoot- 
ing catastrophies — calculated to inspire horror and distrust to- 
wards the Italian leaders — were not fully believed by my 
countrymen, yet they created a sensation rather unpropitious to 
the Italian cause. 

In the midnight of Pentacost our battalion was ordered to 
get up and march. As soon as we were out of the gates — 
Porta Georgia, where we found some other troops: one bat- 
talian of Tyrolese Chasseurs, two battallions of Croats, one bat- 
tery of artillery, and the other appendages of a brigade — we 
conjectured that this excursion would be of such a kind and 
nature as to disable some of us from ever making any more ex- 
cursions or incursions in our lives. We conjectured that we 
were going to make a surprise by assault on the Italians, of 
whom a handful of volunteers was stationed at a village called 
Governolo, distant about nine miles from Mantua. 

The brigade was divided into three columns, and was ordered 
to advance in three different directions, parallel to each other. 
Our battalion and a squadron of cavalry, also the battery, ad- 
vanced on the high road, while the chasseurs were ordered to 
form the Tirralleurs, and the pioneers the wing patrols; and so 
as usual, being secured with fore and back guards, we proceed- 
ed slowly and speechless. On the highway we met some ob- 
stacles, as carriages, large heaps of trees and branches, wood 
and different agricultural implements, evidently thrown on the 
road for the purpose of rendering the passage prolonged, but 
they were removed with very little effort, and we proceeded. 

The first smile of the morning dawn appeared on the eastern 
horizon, when the report of a gun shot — a second — a third — 
made us open wide our eyes and ears, and perhaps caused our 



«52 SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 

hearts to beat more quickly. But we could not see anything, 
for the soil of Italy is entirely covered with trees and vines — 
while our ears were touched by the cry, " Kill him ! kill him !" 
and afterward everything was quiet as before; but in a few min- 
utes there appeared a young Italian, escorted by six of the Ty- 
rolese chasseurs. The prisoner was a man about twenty-four 
years of age, of very interesting appearance, not only with re- 
gard to his national costume, which he wore in his critical con- 
dition with grace and defiance, but for the expression of his 
physiognomy, and manner of his deportment. Meeting the 
colonel, who marched at the head of the battalion, the corporal 
introduced him thus: 

" I report most humbly, my lord colonel, we attacked the 
outpost of the rebels, killed three of them, and imprisoned these 
here, while the others fled " 

''•No one fled!" remarked the prisoner, sternly; "weweTe 
four in all." 

" Who are you ?" asked the colonel, in the most repulsive 
manner, surveying the young man from head to foot in his 
whole length. 

" I am an Italian," said he proudly, touching with his right 
hand his left breast, where beat a heart truly Italian. 

" What is your name ?" 

" Luio-i Rossi." 

o 

" What commission have you had?" 

" I was commander of this outpost, who now are murdered 
by your satellites." 

" What !" cried the colonel, losing entirely his patience, on 
hearing his real title — " you are an assassin, a brigand ;" and 
turning to the corporal — " Take him behind the troops, and 
shoot him down if he dare attempt the slightest resistance, or to 
desert." 

"I dare," said the young man, and drawing a poinard from 
his bosom, and lifting it high, he rushed upon the colonel so 



SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 33 

quickly that he was unable to avoid the point otherwise than 
by stepping back two or three paces, while, drawing his sword, 
he exclaimed rather in confusion than command, " Kill him ! 
Kill him S" 

And one of the Tyrolese transfixed him with his two inch 
broad bayonet, from behind. The unfortunate man fell instantly, 
and amidst the blood which profusely gushed from his nose 
and mouth, these words were to be heard : u Io morro — ma 
vivra Italia — vivra Pio JFono" — I die, but Italy shall live, 
and shall live Pius Ninth. 

His pockets were searched with great care and minuteness, 
and among the contents was found a little square box, appar- 
ently of a portrait, which the spoiler seemed to value for nothing, 
for he threw it on the sidewalk. I, by an irresistible instinct, 
picked it up as a relic and " memento mori " that this unfortu- 
nate but brave man had died for his country's freedom. I say, 
after they robbed him not only of the contents of his pockets, 
but even of his garments, the half-naked body, in which the 
soul still struggled, was left on the highway. 

During this sanguinary scene, I was scrutinizing the face 
the very soul of my colonel, to discover what might be his feel- 
ings and thoughts in the very moment when he was perpetrat- 
ing a murder like this; and though his whole frame was agi- 
tated, yet it showed no pity nor compassion, no severity nor 
rigor, neither embarrassment, nor rage, nor hate — but a curi- 
ous mixture of all these. We had scarcely gone twenty paces, 
when the colonel ordered our corporal to go back and see if he 
were yet alive, and if so, to kill him, in order to shorten his tor- 
ments. The corporal, making a salute, turned round, mutter- 
ing between his teeth, 4{ Kill him ! No ; I did not create him, 
I will not kill him. It is God to whom belongs the life." Af- 
ter a few minutes our corporal returned, reporting that he was 
dead, and that he had put the body on the baggage wagon, in 
order not to leave him to crows and worms, to the scandal of 
the human race. 2* 



34 SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 

"You were right," said the colonel, "in doing so; but he 
ought not to be so desperate," added he, in a tone which was 
meant to excuse himself before his own conscience. 

" Now," said the colonel to the Tyrolese corporal, after we 
had marched about half a mile, " you say that this is the place 
where this outpost was sheltered ?" 

" Yes, my lord colonel," replied the Tyrolese. 

" Well, it ought to be burned down, that it may no more 
serve for such purposes. Captain Friebeisz!" addressing an 
officer who marched on the right wing of the section — " take 
this section and put fire to every corner of those farm houses." 
Saying this he pointed to a group of farm houses and stables, 
some quarter of a mile distant from the highway. 

The captain made a salute with his sword, indicating that 
the order should be fulfilled, and commanded the squadron to 
take a left direction toward the houses. When we arrived in 
the yard, there were the three bodies of the slain weltering in 
their blood. 

The captain was about to enter the house, when in the door- 
way he met a middle-aged woman, half-dressed, with an infant 
in her arms. He cried, "Matches! matches!" The poor wo- 
man, unconscious of herself, fell on her knees at the feet of the 
captain, exclaiming, '''Per la Madonna Santissima!" The 
captain repeated, " Matches! matches!" But the poor woman 
was so frightened that she felt and knew nothing else than that 
her life and her child were in danger, and she was praying for 
it in the mos: fervent tones and words of a despairing mother, 
— - a prayer that would have moved the heart of a tiger. The 
Austrian captain answered with a thrust of his sword, and was 
about to give another, when a private, named Simony — a man 
of very unpleasant exterior — arrested his sword, saying in a 
tone half reproaching, half imploring, "My lord captain, this is 
a woman and a child — blameless and defenceless. Pardon 
them, as you wish that God may pardon you. I will go and 



SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 35 

bring matches, and put fire everywhere you command — but 
spare these innocents." The soldier, saying thus, entered the 
house and brought matches, kindling the building in severa 
places. 

The captain was struck, but whether by the words of hu- 
manity, or by the daring intervention of his private soldier, I 
cannot say ; enough, that he left the bleeding woman with her 
child, as she lay senseless on the ground. The disgust of the 
whole section at the conduct of their captain, legibly appeared 
on their faces, but nobody uttered a single word. While I, 
who among a thousand other Latin adages of the good olden 
times, had learned from my aged grandfather that " In a de- 
formed body hardly is to be found a fair spirit," found it refuted 
by the fact that our Simony, who was so ugly in his face that 
it made me uneasy to look at him, but from this moment I not 
only loved but esteemed him. 

The flames rapidly took possession of the building, and soon 
covered its whole frame with its scarlet wings, while we ad- 
vanced in double paces to join our battalion, and when we 
overtook it, the small village of Governolo appeared to our 
view. 

To give a true idea to the reader, of the subsequent skirmish, 
I must briefly describe the landscape where we found ourselves. 
Our way conducted us in a small degree upon the summit of 
a hill, which, sloping more rapidly, and rising on the opposite 
side, formed a beautiful valley, not wide nor narrow. In the 
bottom flowed a small river, about five or six rods wide. If we 
intended to surprise the Italians, we must pass the river on the 
bridge, for the village was entirely built on the opposite side. 
But when we arrived in a line horizontal with the village tower, 
we were saluted by the thunder of a cannon, and a ball of six 
pounds, which came in such serious collision with the breasts of 
three of my countrymen that they neither breathed more, nor 
moved a single muscle. This unexpected salute produced a 



36 SKIRMISH OP GOVERNOLO. 

more unexpected effect, for the whole battalion, as if it were 
standing on a thread of wire, fell mechanically into the side 
groove of the elevated road. "Artillery forward !" sounded 
now in a rattling tone, in the rear, and the battery, followed by 
a squadron of Hulans, advanced in full gallop, with such a tre- 
mendous noise that the earth seemed to break down under their 
crash. " Halt !" was commanded, and the battery of five pieces 
took position against the tower from whence the cannonade 
continued. 

I, who had read so much about battles but never had seen 
one, was deeply interested to know how it goes on in reality. 
And indeed, I so far forgot myself in my curiosity, as not to 
observe that I was exposed to danger, being the only man of 
our battalion standing in the road. Now the cannonade began 
from both sides with energy, but without effect I saw the ar- 
tillery officers in the greatest confusion, giving their orders not 
with so much precision as on the drilling ground. I saw the 
cannoniers pale and trembling. I saw three of them and a 
horse fall, to the no little alarm of the others, and I thought 
that such operations as this might not be very congenial to the 
human race. And I was glad to see that the tower of the 
Italians stood yet, and its deadly couriers yet emanated unre- 
lentingly. But this cry, uttered rather in the discordant tone 
of astonishment, than of command — " Bardy ! will you come 
down ?" — awoke me from my reflections. I turned my head 
to whence this admonition came, and saw my colonel, but to- 
tally altered in his physiognomy, so far that if his hat " a la 
Napoleon" embroidered with gold, and his golden collar, had 
not indicated that he was the commander of our battalion, I 
would not have believed it. Every muscle of his face was 
in a condition as nervous as the fibres of an anatomized 
turtle when touched with salt. In this moment arose in my 
bosom the feeling of revenge, and though I know well that 
this feeling was unworthy of my soul, I could not entirely sub- 



SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 37 

due it or extirpate it finally from rny heart. I was determined 
then and there to vindicate myself, and I said with piquant ac- 
cent, " No, sir ! I will not come down, because here or there 
life is in the hand of God. I wish you would be as brave a 
soldier — as good as your word in taking this village, as you 
were in prescribing me the fifty lashes."* 

" What !" cried he, with forced self- composure. " Drummer ! 
the signal of storm !" and saying so, jumped on the road, ad- 
dressing the soldiers — " Forward ! we must take this nest of 
brigands by assault !" 

" Forward, my lord colonel ; I will not desert you," said I, 
not without irony. 

The drummer sounded the terrible signal as strongly as he 
was able, but I remarked that he was more moved by astonish- 
ment than by courage, in performing his deadly music. 

Here and there a couple of soldiers appeared on the high- 
way, but at the next flash in the windows of the tower, they 
fell back. 

"Are you not Hungarians ?" cried the colonel. " Are you 
not the very brothers of those brave soldiers, who, under Eszter- 
hazy,f achieved the highest glory for this very regiment ?" 

" Yes," thought I, " we are Hungarians — very brothers of 
our predecessors ; but we are now, as ever, good for nothing to 
fight against freedom.'' 

" Forward !" cried the colonel repeatedly, advancing at the 
same time, my humble self keeping pace with his colonelship, 
and with us a sergeant named Fajfer. After, some six or seven, 
then twenty or twenty-five, and so gradually the whole battal- 
ion, but scattered, without order, without energy, life, or courage. 

We arrived in the vicinity of the bridge, when a fire of pla- 
toons was opened upon us, from the terraces of the houses on 
the opposite side of the river. About a dozen of my country- 



* He remarked on the way, that we were going to take a nest of brigands. 
fThe former proprietor of this regiment was Prince Eszterhazy. 



38 8KIRMI3H OF GOVERN OLO. 

men fell victims to this discharge, among them my best friend, 
Alexius Butsy. The rest, stricken by the panic, sheltered them- 
selves behind the small objects afforded by the ground. But 
the second, the third, and now the continual fire kept us entire- 
ly in check. My colonel sheltered himself beneath the only 
big tree which by chance happened to be there, and by indis- 
putable right belonged to him. 

" My lord colonel," said I, with express purpose to torment 
him and revenge myself, " Napoleon, at the bridge of Arcole, 
in the same position as we are now, took the flag and crossed 
the bridge himself, first. " 

Scarcely had I finished my comment when an officer of the 
engineer corps arrived on horseback, and reported that our am- 
munition had been drawn by the frightened and wounded 
horses into the lake, that two pieces were put hors de combat, 
that our left and right wings met the same welcome as we in 
the center, and that we must retire as soon and as cautiously 
as possible, this being the order of the Brigadier General. 

No sooner had the colonel ordered the drummer to sound 
the signal of retreat, than my countrymen began to go back, 
not like soldiers, but like rats or snakes in the grass, on their 
belly on four feet. 

" Hallo !" cried I. " Whoever is a Hungarian will hear me, 
and whoever is not a Hungarian is a coward — a coward, I 
say, who will not help me to carry back our wounded brothers, 
but would leave them to the first fury of the indignant enemy. 
To-morrow we may ourselves fall, and what would we say if 
our brothers would leave us to a tormenting death ? Whoever 
is not a coward has heard me." 

Scarcely had I finished these words when my countrymen, 
with very few exceptions, stood up and with fearless faces be- 
gan to busy themselves with carrying back the wounded on 
their shoulders or on their muskets. During this engagement, 
five more were wounded, but they deserted not their enterprise; 



SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 39 

nay, they performed their humane duty with a courage equal 
to their timidity during the inhuman part of the catastrophe. 
And so we carried back forty-eight wounded, but eleven of 
them died on the way. 

About two miles from the fortress of Mantua, where the three 
columns joined each other, a brief council was held, which re- 
sulted in the order that we should change our down-cast coun- 
tenance, put green oak leaves to the yellow and black roses of 
our helmets, and entering Mantua, march into the streets with 
proud and victorious air ! 

This order, as far as it concerned the green leaves, was obeyed, 
but the rest was not so easy a task for our battalion, as our offi- 
cers supposed it to be, notwithstanding the music band was or- 
dered to play the heart-stirring march of Rakoczy. 1 and my 
companions who helped me in carrying back our wounded 
brothers, being of course covered with blood, were marked out 
by the passing people, as monsters, though they dared not utter 
their execrations. I understood their mute language — famil- 
iar only to Italians — by which they implored maledictions up- 
on us, by heaven and earth. Poor people ! They knew not 
that the blood on our uniform was not the blood of their broth- 
ers, but of our own. They felt not that it was heavier for us 
than for them. 

After a march through the principal streets, our battalion en- 
tered the casern, situated on the Piazza Virginia, and our captain 
the worthy son of Haynau, addressed the company as follows : 

" I am not content with the courage of my company." 

" Nor I with yours," thought I, but did not speak a syllable. 

11 This conduct may be excused only by the fact that this 
was the first fight in which the company has participated. And 
I hope that next time you will behave yourselves better, and 
with the blood of those brigands, wash out the stain you have 
this day suffered to obscure the name and fame of our regiment. 
Private Rudolph Bardy is the only exception in the whole bat- 



40 SKIRMISH OF GOVERN T OLO. 

talion. He displayed such valor and courage as I had never 
expected of him." 

" You are greatly mistaken, my dear captain," thought I, but 
I spoke not a syllable, for as the reader knows, the motive in 
my behavior was not courage, but bitterness at my own position, 
revenge toward my colonel, and love of my countrymen, as well 
as the impulse of humanity. 

" I wish and will," continued the captain, " that he should 
receive the reward he deserves. Private Bardy, step forward." 

And I came forward with measured paces, as it is prescribed, 
making five paces in two rods, and arriving at three paces dis- 
tance, I halted and stood upright, like a post driven into the 
earth. 

" The company may retire," said the captain, " and do you 
come with me before the colonel." 

u Our lord colonel," thought I, will give me a reward of an- 
other fifty lashes, for the sharp remarks made to him on the 
battle field." But we advanced, and entering the office, found 
our lord colonel surrounded by the officials of the regiment, to 
whom my captain reported the cause of our presence. The 
colonel advanced toward me and looking keenly into the very 
center of my eyes for some minutes, said, " Well, well ! I had 
never supposed that you were blessed with such an intrepid and 
noble heart as you showed to-day. I wish to reward you." 

" You have no reward for me," thought I, but spoke not a 
syllable. 

" From this day you shall have your former grade," continued 
he, " and I will request the General-in-chief to reward you with 
a medal for your bravery. Behave yourself once ur twice more 
as you have done to-day, and the first vacancy for official pro- 
motion shall be yours, as surely as my name is Colonel Castel- 
libz. And to convince you that what I say is my real inten- 
tion — " turning to the captain, he said — " Let me have the 
diary of the punishments." The desired book, called the Black 



SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 41 

Book, being brought, he looked after my name, and finding it, 
took out the pages in which my transgressions and punishments 
were recorded, and putting them in the fire, said, " Look here . 
I pardou you — I forget all." 

" But I cannot forget the fifty lashes, my lord colonel," said 
I, not without solemnity, for these words came from the wound 
inflicted by his order, on the most sensitive part of my soul, 
that is, on my dignity as a man. 

" This is nothing," said the colonel ; " this is a military thing. 
If you remember it, this is well ; but afterwards, you ought not 
to trouble yourself much about it. You know well that his 
Excellency Friemont ran the gauntlet until 6000 blows were 
inflicted, and yet he became Field Marshall. Baron de Simonyi 
was beaten with 100 lashes, yet he became Brigadier General, 
and so have many others," said my colonel, consoling me. 

" I know all this very well, my lord colonel," said I, " but 
you will excuse me if I remark as sincerely as I feel, that I am 
very little disposed, and less anxious, to merit the rank of Field 
Marshall, by suffering a hundred lashes." 

The colonel made a sign of disapprobation to the bystanding 
officers, as much as to say, " This man is always as of old. He 
will never be fit for an officer ;" and turning to me — "I am 
very sorry for you. You are from a noble family, from good 
parents, with high-standing relations, of a favorable and prepos- 
sessing exterior, of good intellect, and of undaunted courage, 
Ycu might be a champion of the Monarchy, the pride of your 
relations, the joy of your parents, an ornament to society. But 
if you continue your caprices, you will not be a blessing to yourself 
or yours, but a cursed malediction for both. You may go," he 
absolved me. 

Yes ! my colonel was right in saying I was from a noble family ; 
but to my colonel's disgrace, my father had implanted the 
idea in my youthful soul that to be noble by birth is no 
merit, but by it a duty is imposed to walk in the path of hon- 



42 SKIRMISH OP GOVERNOLO. 

esty, humanity, and virtue, to treat those not noble by birth as 
we would wish to be treated by them — even with more love 
and kindness — to protect the innocent, defend the oppressed, 
patronize all that is good and fair in human life — in short, to 
be an example, as well in moral as in religious behavior, to the 
class who by birth do not enjoy the privileges of the noble. 
He implanted in my juvenile heart the truth that he who 
strays from the path of justice, of honesty, humanity and virtue, 
stains not only his own name, honor, and soul, but also those of 
his glorious forefathers, who through their virtuous behavior 
achieved nobility for him. My colonel was right in saying my 
parents were good. Yes; they were so good to the colonel 
himself, as to send him every two years a couple of young 
horses of the best Hungarian breed, and the colonel in return 
had given me fifty lashes. 

In the daily orders on the same day was also published my ele- 
vation to my former dignity of corporal ; I was assured, likewise? 
that providing I should behave myself in future struggles as I had 
in the last, I should be promoted to the officiality, while the 
colonel would exert all his influence to secure for me a medal 
for my brave conduct on the battle field. The reader may im- 
agine that I could not help laughing at this exaltation. I, who 
had three months ago been published in the whole regiment 
as a most dangerous individual, whose society every brave and 
honest soldier must avoid — to-day, by the same authority, 
was pointed out as an example of military bravery. I laughed 
because I knew this whole ceremony had another purpose than 
to reward me. It was designed, by so doing, to kindle the 
slumbering military ambition of my countrymen, for murder, 
robbery, fight — for the miserable and cursed reward of being 
promoted. But I was silent, for if I spoke it would bring an- 
other fifty lashes. I was mute looking for an opportunity to 
change my uniform. 

Here I might relate a curious scene, if I were a believer in 



SKIRMISH OF GOVERNOLO. 43 

the holy traditions of the Romish Church. Bat though a Ro- 
man Catholic by birth, by baptism and by education, for this 
very reason I trust very little, not to say nothing, in them. 
But if the holy successor of St. Peter, or whoever of his Levites, 
is desirous of knowing who robbed the blood preserved in the 
subterranean department of the Basilica di Saint Andrea, in 
triple metallic boxes, under the heavy marble pieces constitu- 
ting the altar, on the front of which was engraved in gold, 
''Sanguis Domini nostri Jesic Christi" — The blood of our 
Lord Jesus Christ — I can inform him. I can also name with 
minuteness the persons who robbed the two gold vases, weighing 
sixteen pounds of pure gold, and elaborated in the most elegant 
style. I content myself with saying that the incendiaries who 
set fire to the church, and the robbers of the alleged holy blood, 
also of the pure gold vases of sixteen pounds, were at that time 
two subaltern Austrian officers, and at this day they hold a 
high rank under the same government. But should the Rom- 
ish Church be interested, if not for the blood, at least for the 
gold, I will inform them of the robbers without extra charge ; 
I would only remark now that they ought not to pray so much 
for the human race, and for the heretics, as they profess to do, 
but they ought to cease for once to keep open the workshops 
where are manufactured the misery, calamity and unhappiness 
of the human race.* 



* It is related in the history of Mantua, that the murderer who plunged the lance 
into the side of our Saviour, was struck with horror at his deed, and with holy de- 
votion collected the blood which flowed in hU sleeves along the handlo of his lance, 
and being a native of Rome he brought the blood to the Italian shores, biding it at 
the same spot where now the magnificent Basilica di Saint Andrea is erected. The 
secret was revealed in a dream by an angel to Bishop Andrea, who also found the 
blood and built a hospital on the same spot, which afterwards was transformed into 
the modern Basdica. This is the story — Sitjides penes auctorum — to which I add, 
that I have seen many Archdukes and Dukes of the H ipsburg-Lorrain House, 
kneel before the altar, while 1 saw thousands of people put money in the boxes 
around this altar, with inscriptions, "For the souls of the deceased." But I know 
not, nor can I imagiue, how this money was used for the benefit of deceased souls. 
I only know that the money found on the occasion when the blood and vases were 
robbed, was divided among the soldiers, in order that the words of Scripture 
might be f jlfilled, li Et dividerunt inter se vestimenta mea." 



THE SECOKD FIFTY LASHES. 



"Rebellion! Foul, dishonoring word, 

Whose wrongful blight so oft hath stained 
The holiest cause, that pen or sword 

Of mortal, ever lost or gained! 
How many a spirit, born to bless, 

Hath sunk beneath that withering name, 
Whom but a day's, an hour's success, 

Hath wafted to eternal fame !" 



The reader will perhaps recollect the result of the battles 
fought by Charles Albert, King of Sardinia, and his allies, 
against Field Marshal Radeczky. If not, I here briefly 
remark, that Charles Albert, after having concluded an armis- 
tice for six months, recrossed the frontier of Lombardy. I will 
return to this topic in another place. This was the condition 
of affairs in Lombardy, when in the month of September a 
vague rumor reached us, that the Croat-servians and Wala- 
chians, under command of Baron Jellachich, had invaded 
Hungary, and devastated her by fire and sword, putting to the 
most torturing death every Magyar within reach of their 
hands. 

The reader may imagine that this news was a new blow on 
our bleeding hearts. And although we were not sure of its 
reality, having for six or eight months previously been cut 
off from every communication with our parents, and in utter 
ignorance respecting the affairs of our homes, yet we felt our- 



THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 45 

selves so uneasy, so discontented, so anxious to know the truth, 
that I am unable to describe our feelings. But when, through 
secret ways, the genuine decree of the Hungarian Assembly 
arrived, by which we were ordered to abandon the Austrian 
flag by any meaus whatever, and come into Hungary, or if 
this was impracticable, to join the flag of the Italians, and 
fight against the common oppressor and traitor; and when 
also the famous proclamation of Kossuth came, addressed to 
the Hungarian soldiers in the Austrian army stationed out of our 
fatherland, — when these documents arrived, our discontent 
broke out openly. Some loudly demanded release from the 
army, broke in pieces their arms, rent their uniforms, tore off 
the Austrian insignia, and refused obedience, declaring that 
they could die, but could no longer serve Austria. Poor, but 
noble-hearted fellows ! They were beaten to death, and died 
with the death of deaths — cum morle mortis. 

Some of the officers — four in number, Magyars by birth 
— alike requested dismissal ; but it was rejected by Gen. M. 
Radeczky. They attempted it once more, and were then ad- 
monished that if they should persist in their design and come 
forward again with the same request, the answer would be 
three balls in the brain. And strange to say, these officers 
spared the trouble to Gen. Radeczky, by shooting themselves in 
one day — at the same hour, each in his room, leaving letters 
on their tables in which they unanimously stated that under 
existing circumstances they could not be the faithful servants 
of His Majesty they had sworn to be, and their release having 
been denied, and since they were unwilling to break their oath, 
and to debase their character by desertion, there was left for 
them no other resource but to take their lives with their own 
hands. For life was not only worthless, but altogether un- 
supportable under the present and future circumstances. 

These equally sad and dreadful events, naturally only 
inflamed more and more the hostility of my countrymen 



46 THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 

toward the Government. And as we knew well that there 
was no other way to go to Hungary, or to be united with the 
Italians, than through the dead bodies of our German officers, 
the question was how to carry out this horrible plan, which 
was indispensably imposed upon us by necessity. After many 
consultations in secret meetings, we, twenty-four in number, all 
under officers from two Hungarian batallions stationed in 
Mantua, concluded that at the first opportunity we would shoot 
down our chief officers, and afterward every living being who 
should resist — that we would with every precaution prepare our 
countrymen for the planned catastrophe, and that we would 
inform one of the leaders of the Mantuan people, and request 
him to join us and make ourselves masters of the fortress. 
And indeed, everything was going on so well, as not only to 
encourage us, but to anticipate the victory. For the Hunga- 
rians, now as a body, became totally unmanageable by the 
officers, who already feared to command them. They were 
now implacable against the Croats stationed in Mantua, fought 
them wherever they found an opportunity for it, and in fact 
showed that they preferred death to their actual condition- 
Under such circumstances there could be no doubt that at the 
fall of the first Austrian officer, the whole two battallions 
would join us, and woe to him who should resist. 

But "Homo jyroposit, Deus disposit/" A letter carelessly left 
at the table of Sergeant Paul Job, one of us twenty-four, and sec- 
retary of the meetings, written to him by Count Litta, although 
in an allegorical style, led the officers into the tract of our 
plans. We were gallantly arrested and separately locked up. 
The same evening, the 24th of September, I v. as brought 
before the Court of Marshal Law, consisting of sixteen persons. 
They, by every means, attempted to make me acknowledge 
having participated, or been aware of a correspondence between 
Count Litta and Sergeant Job. But as their most skillful 
inquisitorial proceedings did not succeed to unveil the 



THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 47 

truth, and as I could not deny that Sergeant Job was my 
friend, but I denied that he ever mentioned Count Litta to me, 
and I also denied that I was acquainted with the latter either 
in person or by reputation, they subjected me to torture, in 
hope that the torments would make me acknowledge what 
they, not without reason, supposed lay under my friendship 
and frequent interviews with Sergeant Job. But they failed 
for once. 

The blood-hounds, four Croat corporals, bound me to a 
bench, and each minute inflicted one stroke of the lash, so 
heavily, that it seemed to me to have fallen from the heavens. 
The pain caused by so prolonged an operation, was unspeaka- 
ble. My head exhaled vapor. The sweat in heavy drops fell 
from my face and covered all my body. I felt myself in a 
bath of fire. Yet the thought that if I became unconscious 
of myself, I might betray twenty -three of my countrymen and 
cause them to be hanged with myself, preserved my presence 
of mind. Nor forgot I the remarks of my countrymen, made 
to me when I fainted under the first lashes, that they expected 
from such a Hungarian as I professed to be, and believed I 
had more heroism than to faint under twenty-eight miserable 
lashes, stating at the same time that they would rather have 
been cut in pieces with the lash than utter a word for mercy, 
or invoke aloud the name of God. For it only enhanced the 
pleasure of those hangmen's sons. Think of God — invoke 
Him silently to give you strength to endure the injustice with- 
out humiliation. But do not name Him loudly, for these 
soulless creatures ridicule Him and you. I was thinking of 
this advice of my countrymen. And indeed, I endured the 
terrible lashes with such firmness that I not only did not dis- 
close the matter, nor make known my companions, but was too 
proud to give utterance to my woe, or speak an imploring 
word. I even answered the questions and remarks of the 
bystanding officers with such well-timed words that I was 



48 THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 

myself delighted at it. Among other things the Mayor, 
President of this lawful ( ? ) body, said : " I advise you, as 
your benevolent father, to confess the truth, and you shall not 
only be relieved from your present critical condition, but if the 
truth is as important as we have reason to suppose, you shall 
be liberally rewarded by our Colonel." 

"Aye S aye !" said I, with ironical accent, which was rendered 
more strange by my torment; M Our colonel and a liberal 
reward — I mean an Austrian Colonel and a liberal reward are 
things as contrary, as opposite to each other, as light and 
darkness. Where one exists the other can not." 

" What !" exclaimed the Mayor, " has he not lately promised 
you an officer's sword ?" 

" Officer's sword !" exclaimed I, laughing like a madman, 
amid the most dreadful sufferings; "If the twelve plagues of 
Egypt should fall on my shoulders, they would not be so hard, 
so heavy to me as the sword of an Austrian officer !" 

The officers looked at one another and gave new orders to 
the merciless corporals to do their duty. 

The flesh on my back was already torn off. The blood 
drenched the blue pants. But I thought, though they cut me 
in pieces I would not confess. 

"Well, well," said the Auditor ironically, seeing that the 
extreme anguish did not move me to open my lips; " you are 
very easily accustomed to endure lashes. Formerly you 
fainted." 

" Yes, sir ;" replied I, " our Colonel told me that this is a 
necessary qualification to graduating as an Austrian Field 
Marshal." 

" You are mocking," said he with suppressed rage, " but I 
assure you with all that, yours is the worst. " 

" I feel it," said I laconically. 

Some blows were still struck in the very wounds, and he 
said : " I ask you once more and finally, had Sergeant Paul 
Job never mentioned to you Count Litta ?" 



THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 49 

" What I have said, is said," I replied. "And though you 
kill me here, I can not say anything else." 

" Can you swear on the crucifix," said he, pointing to it on 
the table between two burning candles, rt that your statement 
is true ?" 

" Sir !" said I, " the same law in virtue of which I am 
tortured here, forbids to examine a delinquent under oath." 

" You are well versed in the law it seems to me." 

" This was your duty, not mine. But you are forgetful o* 
it, while I fulfill mine so well as to surprise you all, said I, 
alluding to my conduct in enduring the terrible lashes. 

" Shocking !" exclaimed the Mayor. 

" He is obstinate," said the Auditor. 

" Let him be shot without further ceremony," added one of 
the Captains. 

" That is the best we can do," remarked the Lieutenant. 

"And I shall have courage enough to give the command to 
fire, like Marshal Ney," concluded I. 

"We shall see," said the whole assembly at once, which 
showed that they were unanimous in pronouncing the sentence. 

At last they ordered me to be led to the prison. Here a 
physician dressed my wounds with linen bathed in cool water. 
Ordering me to repeat the same operation, they left me to my 
reflections, anguish, tormenting uncertainty about my compan- 
ions. At length the door opened and the Provost ordered me 
to go out. I obeyed; surrounded by six Croat soldiers whom 
the Provost ordered in my presence to load their muskets. 
Having read the articles of the military code, which precribe 
that an arrested person be shot upon the slightest resistance 
they proceeded, conducting me in double chains and among 
bayonets to the citadel, through the streets of the city. I knew 
well that I was going to hear my sentence. 

When we arrived in the square yard of the citadel, I found 
thirty-five of my countrymen, but only seventeen from " our 
twenty-four," in the same delightful position as myself — that 



50 THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 

is, chained " in cross," and guarded by bayonets like malefac- 
tors or kings, though we belonged neither to the former nor to 
the latter, 

A glance exchanged with my countrymen, told me they had 
braved the torture, while their pale languid faces showed that 
they had suffered not less than I. 

Opposite our train stood a battalion of Croats. This indica- 
ted that our sentence would be executed immediately after the 
publication. 

Now came forward the honorable Court of Martial Law. 
Forming themselves in a semi-circle, between the battalion and 
ourselves, with the Auditor in the midst, they drew their swords. 
The Auditor called out, " Sergeant Paul Job !" 

A tall young man in the spring-time of life, over whose flow- 
ers a desolating storm seemed to have recently passed, stepped 
forward among the bayonets. His firm tread and statue-like 
form, as he stood erect in the tightly buttoned uniform before 
his judges, showed that the storm had broken him not, but on- 
ly swept away the vivid colors of his youthful face. 

" Sergeant Paul Job," repeated the Auditor, continuing to 
read the sentence aloud from a sheet of paper, tremblingly 
held in his hands — " born in 1825, in Hungary, in the State 
of Bihar, in the community of Sukos; aged 23; unmarried; 
Magyar by birth, Catholic by religion, student by profession — 
in virtue of the 16th article of the military penal code, which un- 
der pain of death interdicts communication with the enemy or 
with their allies, having been found guilty of the high crime and 
aforesaid treason, through the evidence of a letter found in his 
possession, written to him by Count Litta, known as one of the 
most notorious chiefs of the rebellious people of Lombardy, is 
sentenced to die by lead and powder. 

"Mantua, September 28th, 1S48." 

Here came the names of the officers and under-officers com- 
posing the honorable Court of Martial Law, and last : 



THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 51 

" To be made good and instantly executed. 

"JOSEPH CASTELLIBZ, 

"Colonel, rnp." 

The Auditor drew from bis bosom a stick about the length 
of a bayonet, broke it in two and threw it at the feet of the 
prisoner, as a token that his life should be broken like this 
stick, never more to be united. The drummer sounded the sig- 
nal of fiat* 

The reader may imagine that this scene, for a simple specta- 
tor, must have been a heart-touching one, but he cannot think 
nor feel how dreadful it was for us. 

The executioner now took his victim, who without uttering 
a word or moving a muscle, advanced to the spot pointed out. 
Binding his eyes with a black handkerchief, he ordered him to 
kneel. 

Here was the victim — three paces distant were the Croat 
soldiers, nine in number, selected to consummate the sentence. 
He knelt with blindfolded eyes. We looked at one another, 
and understood the glance which told us any attempt at resist- 
ance would bring us all to the same spot where our unfortunate 
friend stood now. 

A few moments were spent in arranging the three soldiers 
who were to make the first shot.f At the very moment when 
the commander raised his sword 10 give the signal for fire, the 
victim suddenly stood up, tore off the handkerchief from his 
eyes, causing a sudden amazement in the executioners for a 
minute, during which he said in a solemn and calm tone in the 
German language, "I am not afraid to die, because I die for 
the cause of a people's freedom." Afterward, in the Hungarian 
language, addressing us, " Tell my countrymen that this my 
lot should serve not as a warning but as an example to follow, 



*"Let it be done." 

f In case the first three shots cause not instant death, there shall be a second three ; 
if this fail, a third — and should this fail, the prisoner is pardoned. 



52 THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 

because they who die for freedom, will die like myself — cheer- 
fully. Long live " 

But at this instant the sharp ring of the three muskets startled 
the ear, and the victim with his whole length fell forward, his 
skull scattered in fragments two rods from his body. 

He died! But his memory lives in the hearts of thousands. 
The balls that missed his heart, touched the heart of every 
Hungarian that learned of this scene, not extinguishing life, but 
only igniting the slumbering fire of revenge, to be quenched only 
by the heart's blood of the tyrants. 

The pretended accomplices, as no proofs were elicited against 
them by the torture, were discharged on condition that they 
should be transported into different foreign regiments, having 
been guilty of friendly intercourse with such a great criminal as 
Sergeant Paul Job. My unfortunate self, for insulting the 
honorable body of the Martial Law during the inquisition, 
was sentenced to run the gauntlet, between 300 men, nine 
times up and down. But his lordship the colonel, considering 
my brave conduct, as he termed it, in the battle of Governolo, 
deigned to content himself with my eternal degradation, and 
overlooking kindly the corporeal punishment, ordered me, as an 
incorrigible offender, to be transported to the regiment of Deutsch 
Meisters — Dutch Masters — a regiment w T ell known and far- 
famed in the Austrian Empire, as theives and rascals. 

" Very well," thought I, when I heard the sentence, " you 
shall hardly have the trouble to adjust for me the Cserepar* 
uniform. 

On the following day, with another private, who also, like 
myself, was to be transported to the same regiment, we were 
ordered to undertake our march, which would bring us to San 
Benedetto, w r here our new regiment was stationed. 

During the march I was of rather cloudy mood. Tired of 
indignities, sufferings, patience — tired even of laughing within 



* A kind of Austrian uniform despised in the same army by every other branch. 



THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 53 

myself at the rascality of the Austrian government, I was de- 
termined to desert these cursed bodies of abject human beings, 
and shortly told my colleague what I was about. 

" Well," replied he, " I will share your fate. Where you go 
I will go. If you die, I shall not live." 

This square answer and the desponding tone in which it was 
spoken, moved me to examine my countryman from a nearer point. 

" What is the cause of your transportation ?" asked I. 

" Well — insubordination !" answered he briefly. 

"Insubordination? Of what kind and nature? 1 ' asked I, ra- 
ther impatiently, for this w T ord " insubordination," in military 
life, involves as much as the word " marriage" in civil life. 

"I refused to go on duty, broke my gun and bayonet, and 
rent every piece of the cursed uniform." 

" And the punishment ?" 

11 Well — a hundred lashes, inflicted by six corporals, and 
transportation." 

c * What is your name ?" 

" Do you not know me ?" asked he, with surprise. u I am 
Nicholas Barocs, private, of the 1st battalion, 5th company, un- 
der Captain Baron de Winczingeroda, of the 3d section. My 
corporal was your good friend, Lougi Szupkay. Do you not 
know me ?" asked he once more. 

" My dear friend, it is impossible to know every man of a 
whole regiment. Your name is familiar to me, but your face 
is entirely new. How long have you served here in Italy ?" 

" It would be five years, but I deserted five times, and spent 
on every occasion half a year in going to Hungary and being 
brought back. The other half years were passed in trials, dur- 
ing which I was in prison, and in sickness caused by blows, 
under which I lay in the hospital. So it seems to me that m 
five years I have not served five days," was the frank and 
curious answer. 

" Yes, yes," said I ; " I recollect now about you. You are 
the same man who recently so bravely resisted the Croat sol- 
diers ordered to arrest you." 



54 THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 

" I did ray best,'' answered be, with a lowered face. 

" But you are a thousand times fortunate that the colonel 
has not ordered you to be shot, 1 ' 

" Our colonel is not a bad man; or if he is, it is only be- 
cause he is in that cursed Austrian service." 

The fact is, that my countryman, whose singular history I 
now recollected well, was taken away from Hungary amidst 
bayonets, and conducted in chains into Italy, to be forced to 
swear fidelity to His Majesty the Emperor of Austria. But 
he refused the oath, and after twenty -five hard lashes were in- 
flicted on his back, he consented to swear, with a mental reser- 
vation that he would never maintain it. The motto of the Aus- 
trian policy is, " Not the hand, but the mind, can put the 
chain on the lion's neck." And so they hoped that the native 
son of the prairie would become more manageable under a com- 
petent treatment. 

But no sooner was he able to steal aw T ay from the eyes of 
his guardians, than he undertook a journey towards Hungary, 
which, as he knew, was situated to the east. Through the 
mountain range of Monte Baldo, which is connected with other 
Tyrolese mountains, after 60 days' march, he arrived in Hun- 
gary. But before he was able to see the friend and playmate 
of his childhood — a dark-eyed, fair-haired girl of the prairie, 
as he termed her — but if we call her now, his sweetheart, I 
suppose we do not make an unpardonable mistake, though if 
he were present he would perhaps blush up to his ears, as he 
did relating to me this stor} r — I say, that before he was able 
to see the object which fascinated him so far away from home, 
and he came like a bird, over mountains and valleys, rivers and 
prairies, without a beaten path, always in the direction of sun- 
rise, he w T as arrested, carried back into Italy, and sentenced to 
run the gauntlet until 3000 blows were inflicted. Beside these, 
he was condemned to serve six years above what was imposed 
upon every one by the Government. Scarcely being recovered 
from the effects of the blows, or to use his own words, " the 



THE SECOND EIFTF LASHES. 55 

skin being yet quite new on his back," he deserted a second 
time. 1500 blows were now added to the former 3000, and 
he was sentenced to serve for his lifetime. But all this did not 
trouble him. He deserted a third time, and being arrested as 
in the two former cases, was beaten with a hundred lashes* 
But, determined either to be hung or to liberate himself, he 
deserted a fourth time. 6000 blows were now inflicted, with 
the admonition that the next time he should be shot. But he 
was a man, as he told me, not to be so easily terrified. 

He endured these tortures coolly, never asked for pardon of- 
tener than is ordered by rules, never acknowledged repentance 
of his deeds, and never promised not to desert again. On the 
contrary, he deserted five times, was arrested, brought back 
and this last case was when I was ordered, as corporal, to con- 
stitute one of his jurors. The Auditor announced the "votum in- 
formativum." It was to be hanged. The captains, first and 
second lieutenants, and sergeants consented, but I could not, 
because his disertion, as it was clearly shown by the evidence 
developed in the course of the trial, was not induced by a feel- 
ing adverse to his military condition, or to the government. It 
was simply caused by the insuppressible love of home and de- 
sire of home. He declared many times that he would serve 
willingly in Hungary, but not in Italy, where he could not 
speak nor understand the language — where were no friends of 
his, and from whence he was not permitted during the twelve 
years of his service, to go home for a couple of weeks. I tried 
to prove that the military authority had no right to detain him 
in Italy, under such circumstances of his sentiments and intel- 
lect. And I succeeded in moving my coleagues. The two 
vice-corporals, two privates, and myself, refused to underwrite 
the sentence, which was now commuted to ten years imprison- 
ment at hard labor in the galleys. I opposed this, too, on the 
ground that the military code clearly orders the punishment to 
be of such kind as to amend, but not such as to render the man 
worse. This sentence would make him desperate, and induce 



56* THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 

suHde, and I was as little willing to subscribe my name to an 
indirect sentence of death of my fellow man, as to a direct. 

The officers launched on me glances like the lightening, for 
it was considered a crime on the part of a corporal to raise 
his voice against the " votum informativum " of the Audi, 
tor, or to attempt to overturn the sentence already subscribed 
by the higher officers. But I thought I was doing my duty, 
and conscious of this I kept my ground. In short, another 
body of jurors was convoked, and sentence of death pronounced, 
but the colonel pardoned him with a hundred lashes. 

What effect these thousands of blows and lashes had, the 
reader may conceive. He will recollect the language uttered 
when I communicated to him my intention to desert. But 
now, for once, I was glad to find perchance a man in whom I 
could trust perfectly, and whose courage was known to me. 
Recently, when he rent his dignitary robes, and was about to 
be arrested, he seized his gun, knocked down a dozen Croats, 
and made himself master of the whole room, and no man from 
two battalions had courage to enter and arrest him. At last 
the colonel came, and coolly entered the room. He took aim 
against the colonel, who with incredible presence of mind, said 
to him — 

" My son Barocs, your colonel orders you to give him your 
musket." 

He looked for a minute wildly, and struggling within him- 
self, at last said — 

"Here! but let me go to Hungary." 

The colonel took his musket, set him free, and as a favor for 
having obeyed his colonel, in the greatest fury ordered him to 
be punished only with 100 lashes. He said that such lashes 
as these he could endure on his nose, which was of no inconsid- 
erable magnitude. 

*' Well, well!" said he, resuming the thread of conversation, 
" Mr. Bardy, I know very well that you opposed my sentence 
of death. I will never be forgetful of this." 



THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 57 

Here lie fixed his large eyes on me with such a legible ex- 
pression of hearty gratitude that it made me quice uneasy. 

" Well, well ," replied I, somewhat confounded ; "what has 
happened six times, may happen now on the seventh.'* 

"I hope not," said he. "You can speak well more lan- 
guages, and so we shall succeed." 

About sunset we arrived at San Benedetto, and we were for- 
mally consigned into the hands of the regiment's adjutant, w^fh 
the proper papers. The far-famed battalion was quartered in a 
cloister, formerly used by the monks, and at present by the 
wildest, ugliest, and most stupid branch of the Austrian army. 
I looked around on the soldiers, who were lying on — or rather 
in — the straw, like so many swine, along the circumference of 
the oblong hall, which had once served as a dining room. I 
detected pretty easily that there was only one way for desertion 
and this, too, rather perilous. This one was the balcony, as we 
were stationed on the second floor, directly under which was 
the door, the only exit and entrance of the quondam holy, but 
now profaned building ; and as the sentinel was standing be- 
neath that door, we might have been detected by the slightest 
noise, while lowering from the balcony. I informed my coun- 
tryman. He was ready and approved everything that I pro- 
posed to him. 

He stole the ropes from a drum, by means of which we 
intended to descend from the balcony. 

Night came on as usual. The noise of the half-drunken 
soldiers, slowly passed away. They were now immersed in sleep 
which was rendered still more deep by the free use of wine. 
I reflected on the past, and felt, indeed, not a little grief to 
know that I must yield to the necessity, and leave as a de- 
serter, the service by which I had hoped not only to merit 
respect and honor, but to crown with content and gladness 
the wishes and hopes of my good parents — hopes and wishes 
which they entertained toward me with a kind of conscious 

5* 



58 THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 

infallibility. I was happy, very happy, in the thought that if 
through honesty, earnestness, and modesty, I once attained an 
officers rank, -which was in my parents rather a wish and hope 
springing up from the prejudices of aristocracy, my good pa- 
rents — good, because they loved me and educated me well, 
and I loved them — who daily were growing older and older, 
but should become younger in me — that not only would they 
find the fulfilment of their hopes shining on their approaching 
e# of life, as the sun shines in a serene September eve, from 
behind the mountains, but it would really prolong their lives, 
and relieve the melancholy so natural to advanced age. I was 
happy, very happy, in the thought that I should be their sup- 
porter in their second childhood, as they were in my first — 
that I should watch over their bed as they had over mine, 
when attacked by sickness. Indeed, I was delighted to dwell 
on the thought that after I had satisfied the wishes of my pa- 
rents, I should go home, and be a grateful son and good citizen. 
But alas ! deserter— shame — eternal shame for me, and through 
me, for my good parents ! Such were my thoughts, when the 
clock of the old cloister — now barracks — tower struck eleven, 
and by this another direction was given to my thoughts. 

The night was bright and silent. Its monotonous stillness 
was only interrupted by the sentry's tread, promenading below, 
alone the'eorridor, behind the barred gate by which we entered, 
but by which we should not go out — and now and then by a 
dreadful groan or exclamation of the sleepers, in their dreams. 
Perhaps there appeared to them the mother, furious in her des- 
pair, whose children they had atrociously murdered ; or the vio- 
lated maiden whom they had so brutally outraged and massa- 
cred ; or a young man, burning with revenge for the immolat- 
ed blood of his family. I wished to have the power to collect 
together all those bitternesses, from which flowed the heart- 
rending maledictions of the childless mothers, the innocent, 
but painful tears of the orphans, the terrible thirst for revenge, 
of the surviving youth, the inconsolable loneliness of the young 



TIIE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 59 

girls, the solemn and fervent prayer of the -white haired old 
men — I say, to collect them all together, to mingle it and let 
every one of this miserable company drink of the cup, that they 
might learn what sort of work it was that they had done. 

Now the metalic tongue struck twelve — and I must obey 
my fate! 

My companion Barocs, as had been agreed upon, arose, and 
silently, like a shadow, was passing through the capacious hall # 
I, with the least possible noise, raised myself from the straw 
and cast a last, but pitiful glance on the sleeping band, to whose 
army I had belonged six long years. At this thought, I seized 
my musket, and felt that in this same minute I was entirely 
changed in my heart and soul. An unspeakably bitter feeling 
passed through my frame. 1 felt my blood boil, from my feet 
to my head, and I never forgot what I muttered through my 
teeth — 

"Eye for eye — ear for ear — life for life!" 

I came upon the balcony. Barocs was on the alert. We 
tied the rope. He loweied himself happily. Kow I lowered 
the two muskets, and afterwards I was busied to descend my- 
self; but alas ! I had not reached half the distance between the 
ground and balcony, when the rope " crash !" and I with my 
whole weight fell down, making such a noise as would natural- 
ly be made by the fall of a man, six feet tall, and weighing a 
hundred and eighty pounds, a distance of about two rods, or 
more. What I did after my rather rash descent, was to seize 
convulsively ray musket, raise the hammer, and look at the 
door if there were any sign of opening it. There are moments 
in the life of frail mortals, when reason is entirely superseded 
by impulse. Such was this, for I assure the reader that I 
would have shot immediately the first person who should have 
presented himself at the door, and afterward gone on with bay- 
onet till the last drop of blood was spent. But all remained in 
the former silence, only the sentinel stopped for a few minutes, 
and afterwards resumed his measured and monotonous pace, 



60 THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 

which told me that he had heard the noise, but it led him not 
to the thought that such wingless birds as we, were escaping 1 . 

Though I fell on my feet, I was so seriously hurt in my 
spine, that I could not stand erect without very sensible pain. 
I attempted to go bent, which was done with great exertion ; 
yet the instinct to save life gave me strength to press forward) 
and we advanced, but very slowly. 

My companion was alarmed at every slight noise among the 
trees, now caused by the soft zephyr, and then by some wandering 
wild beast which, fearing in daylight the death-dealing hand of 
man, was looking for its food while its enemies were asleep. 
And if the truth must be told, I confess that my brave self ex- 
perienced an uneasy sensation as the morning dawn removed 
the last slight veil of twilight, making every object clearly visi- 
ble, I said to my journeying brother — 

" Now, for the first time in my life the light seems not to be 
friendly." 

" He understood me, and said, " I am myself of the opinion 
it would be better for us to enter some house and bathe your 
spine with cool water, as it now begins to swell, and rest your- 
self till evening. Then, under the wing of darkness, we may 
leave this land with more security, and gain the Modenese 
soil." 

Accordingly, I took the direction to a cottage, and knocked 
at the door. 

A head covered with a white night-cap, presented itself at 
the window in the second story, and exclaimed, "Per la Ma- 
donna Santissima! I Croati/" — By the most holy virgin! 
the Croats! 

"No Croats!" replied I, "but Hungarians. Open the 
door." 

" But what will you have ? Who are you ? I can not ; It is 
yet too early ;" said the poor astonished peasant, confusedly. 

" We are your friends — we wish a little rest, and some refresh- 
ment, and if you refuse it, the worse for you, because I shall 
break the door, and learn vou how to treat the unfortunate." 



THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 61 

" Stop a minute — stop a minute — I will come down directly 
and open the door," said he with the greatest confusion. After- 
wards he descended in his wooden shoes and opened the door, 
keeping himself at a distance, and with every caution dictated 
by such fear as stupefies a man. 

** Do not trouble yourself" said I, in a tone to inspire him 
with confidence. " Here is my hand as a pledge that we mean 
no harm to you, or yours. Let us have something to eat and 
drink, that is all we want, and during the repast we shall make a 
nearer acquaintance. There are our muskets, put them in some 
safe place, that, if you have children, they may not reach them." 

The poor, but honest peasant, by trusting him with my 
musket, was touched in the very heart of his better feelings, 
while my Barocs looked doubtful and hesitated to hand his, but 
a sign, and he obeyed. 

In short, our brave peasant while treating us with the best 
salamies, cheese and wine, that he had in his house, became 
quite familiar with us, and advised, to present ourselves to Sig- 
nor Guiseppe Carlo verini his landlord, who, as he told us, was 
a little foolish, because he took great interest in the revolution, 
and so risked his beautiful estate. This advice was such as to 
convince me clearly, that neither the peasant nor the landlord 
referred to, belonged to the class of men whom we might fear 
in our critical condition. I accepted the advice and pretty soon 
found ourselves in the parlor of Signor Carlorerini. He, after 
our guide had made a considerable noise on the door of his 
sleeping room, came forward, and received us with every kind 
of hospitality, peculiar to the Italian nation, regretting only 
that we were two and not two thousand ! 

He himself with some strong spirits bathed my back, which 
resulted favorably. He also provided us with garments of peace? 
exchanged our muskets for pistols of double barrel. His advice 
was to remain in his house for the night and rest us, while early 
in the morning, he hoped to find some pretext under which he 



62 THE 6E00ND FIFTY LASHES. 

should succeed to pass the frontier. Every thing was done as 
he wished ; only my Barocs could not sleep during the whole 
night, remembering every half hour that we were only three 
miles distant from San Benedetto. 

At an early hour of the following day, our landlord request- 
ed us to follow him. After a substantial breakfast and spiritu- 
ous liquors we moved on foot towards the frontier, to a point 
which, as he told us, was guarded only by three gens d'arms 
of his acquaintance. 

We arrived, but found instead of three, seven of the gens 
d'arms. These did not yield to the pretext under which Sig- 
nor Carloverini endeavored to effect our passage. On the con- 
trary, they refused to permit it, because it was forbidden under 
penalty of death. Under such circumstances I saw that there 
was only one way to get through, and I hesitated no longer to 
undertake it. Drew my pistol, pointed it at the head of the 
commander, and advised him in strong and brief terms that at 
the first word, the first sign of resistance, I would blow out his 
brains, taking at the same time such a position as showed them 
I was no novice in such kind of play. And ordered my Ba- 
rocs to take off the hammers of their rifles and put them in his 
pocket. This was done easier than I had expected. Then I 
told the commander, all the while under the aim of my pistol, 
to enter the boat with us and pass the canal, when I promised 
on my word of honor I would leave him free from harm. 

The reader may imagine that this scene would be worthy of 
the pencil of the most renowned painter. The astonished com- 
mander every moment changed the color of his face. The con- 
vulsive contractions of his lips showed that he was willing to 
speak, but a movement of my finger on the trigger — a piercing 
glance in the very centre of his eye, a briefly spoken " Not a 
word ! Obey !" made him silent. At the movement of one 
of the soldiers, I really was about to shoot him, when he 
exclaimed, "Stop! Do not compel him to kill me-" The 



THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 63 

common gens d'arms — born Italians, but in the Austrian ser- 
vice — were rather stupifiecl by this unexpected visit. Yet I 
saw well tbat they had not lost entirely their mind, to think 
how I might be prevented from shooting. But at this time 
they found a match, who was as well acquainted with their 
business as they themselves; while I had more decision, if not 
more courage than they. The commander obeyed, and ad- 
vanced beside me, at the distance of three paces, to the boat. — 
After him my Barocs, myself and Signor Carloverini. While 
going he said to me, "Pray keep that pistol a little sidewise,— - 
It may be discharged against your will. You see I do' not 
resist, nor my soldiers." This made me half smile, and I said, 
44 Be quiet. I am a soldier. I know the arms." 

While passing the canal Signor Carloverini in a painful tone 
said to me, " Now I may as well go with you at once, for if I 
return I shall be immediately hanged." 

" No sir," replied I. " You shall not be hanged, but do not 
speak now." 

At length we set foot on Modenese ground, which was at 
this time neutral, and I now for the first time after six long 
years, breathed freely. " My dear friend," said I to the com- 
mander, *' If you choose you may return now, and you will 
not forget that if this scene shall come to the knowledge of your 
officers, you and your soldiers will be shot, cowards and pol- 
troons. It is also your common interest to keep our passage in 
as deep secrecy as possible. We, on our part, promise not to 
report you, although you miserable man are unworthy of any 
other fate than to be killed by those hands you serve. Be it 
remembered that this gentleman here," meaning Carloverini, 
"I have induced by a similar kind of play to tell you the story 
by which we were desirous to pass peacefully. Thus I have 
induced you to cross with us this canal. If you report him he 
will report you, and you are well aware what is the punishment 
for you both. In order to avoid every suspicion w T hich may 



64: THE SECOND FIFTY LASHES. 

Jead to the discovery of this fact, I have removed the hammers 
of your rifles. Here they are; take them, and if we ever meet 
under hostile flags, use them better than you have now." And 
the commander seemed to agree with me, who without doubt 
was right, and he returned, but rather ill at ease. 

Carloverini accompanied us a few miles, and after I assured 
him that he might without fear return, as the gens d'arms 
would not only not report him, but would conjure him never 
to remember this event. For if it should come before a court 
of Martial Law it would bring the commander to the gallows, 
every second man of the six to be shot, and a hundred lashes 
to be inflicted on the others. 

So he was half-and-half acquitted, and said in a rather des- 
perate tone, " I go ! I will sell all my property which under 
existing circumstances may be sold, put the money in my 
pocket, a musket on my shoulder, and hope to join you in a 
few days at Bologna. 

Mr. Barocs w T as very much pleased and delighted with my 
conduct, and tried to pass a eulogy upon me. He said, " You 
appeared like a mad dog, which looks in neither direction, yet 
sees everywhere." He was desirous to have a fight, of which he 
alleged without doubt, we should have had the better, but I 
doubted it. 



MY PAET IN ITALY. 



" Oh Freedom ! Thou art not as poets dream, 
A fair young girl with light and delicate limbs — 
****** 

A bearded man — armed to the teeth — art thou ! 
Thy brow, glorious in beauty though it be, 
Is scarred with tokens of old wars!" 

The consciousness that our country and nation were in dan- 
ger, hastened our paces, and three days' hard walking brought 
us to Bologna — in the Roman state. Here first we learned 
the heart-rending atrocities and barbarities with which the 
hordes of invading Croats and Wallachians, instigated by the 
mercenary agents of Austria had invaded the country, exceed 
ing in cruelty the most inhuman practices of the most barbar- 
ous ages. 

I felt deeply my obligation to my fatherland, and to my 
good and brave nation in this afflictive situation. " Go and 
defend them till the last drop of blood is spent." This I con- 
sidered my holy, my only duty. Yet in spite of this knowl- 
edge, in spite of my efforts and the most fervent desire of my 
soul, circumstances held me bound. iNo way into Hungary. — 
No entrance into Hungary. She was surrounded on every side 
like a rock amidst a stormy sea. And in the rock dwelt all 
that is near and dear to the human heart — all that elevates 
man above the brute. All this was threatened to be sunk — to 
perish forever and ever; — while I, confined to the shore, was 
doomed to see, and to contemplate their danger, to hear their 
cry — and to tremble for their safety, without being able to 
gave them. 



66 MY PART IN ITALY. 

A fatal lot was mine, but to storm against it would be a 
temptation to God. 

Hungary stood like a rock amidst the stormy waves — no 
trembling — nor yielding — but receiving firmly the violent at- 
tacks of fanaticism, repulsing the dark legions, broken and scat- 
tered, as the rock sends back the stormy legions of assaulting 
waves, 

Voltaire says, " There are now-a-days seas where once su- 
perb cities stood, and there are superb cities now where once 
immensity and depth of water dwelt. If this is possible, so it 
is more possible that the waves of blood, misery, calamity, woe, 
desolation, affliction and despair which now overflow the soil 
of Hungary, shall become lessened and dried up. She will ap- 
pear once more, to receive smiles and kisses from the sun of 
freedom, bringing flowers and fruits from her fertile soil — flow- 
ers, to adorn the graves of our brave brothers — fruits, to bring 
an offering to the altar to the God of liberty. Yes, she will 
re-appear ! For she is not conquered, destroyed, dissolved or 
broken by the fiery storms that assailed her. She is only over- 
flowed and covered with the waves of tyranny. But to conquer 
or dissolve her, there is no power on earth ; because her foun- 
dation is in the love of God, and of freedom. Principles that 
shall live until all tyranny and usurpation shall be unknown. 

But the reader will say — the writer promised a biography 
and he gives a prophecy. Yes! gentle reader, you are right; 
but excuse me, for Hungary is for me what the dry, leafless 
branch of the tree is to the pigeon which has lost his mate. — 
But now I am at your service. 

Seeing it was impossible to go into Hungary, I determined 
to serve the Italian cause, which in essence was the same as the 
Hungarian. 

« II regimento dell unione," (the regiment of the union,) was 
at this time to be organized at Bologna, and their colonel know- 
ing me to be a practical military man, requested me to enter 



MY PART IN ITALY. 



67 



and drill the students who were to compose the new regiment. 
The colonel, named Gariboldi, bestowed upon me the rank of 
non-commissioned officer until it should be confirmed from 
Rome, from whence His Holiness recently fled, and where the 
Mazzinian Government was about to exercise that function. 

I obeyed the request, but declined the offer, saying that I 
would not decline it when I should have deserved it in the 
battle-field, and frankly remarked that I was very sorry at find- 
ing that every one contended and conspired to be officer, for- 
getting the words of their own poet: " There are many in the 
world who have no merit and yet pretend, while there are very 
few who have merit and do not pretend. " 

However I undertook my commission, and began to drill 
the students — not with pens and penknives, but with guns and 
bayonets. But I assure the reader that I never experienced 
harder work in my life — except to endure the lashes — than w 7 ith 
these signorini — young gentlemen. 

No discipline — no subordination — no knowledge, nor even 
an idea of what makes a soldier. The unity, mutual good 
feeling and good understanding that render a regiment invinci- 
ble, they were unacquainted with. There are other require- 
ments than to know how to load a musket, and how to dis- 
charge it in the air. To make front and battle on a force equal 
or even superior, with less loss and exposure, they had no incli- 
nation to learn, no observation of service, no order, no patience. 
Every one was infatuated only to become officer. In short, in 
a couple of weeks my patience broke down, and I resigned my 
commission with n© little regret, seeing that with such soldiers 
we should never beat Radeczky's veteran Croats. 

The officers were of no more value than the privates, except 
the old Colonel Ferrara, who succeeded Col. Gariboldi. 

From Bologna we were ordered to march to Rome, but we 
arrived only at Ancona — a port on the Adriatic shores — when 
a counter order destined us for the assistance of Venice. Em- 



68 MY PART IN ITALY. 

barked on the English steamer, Tripoli, we found ourselves in 
28 hours in the bosom of the Queen of the Adriatic. 

The Venetian Lion being aroused from his lethargic sleep, with 
his terrible look terrified the Austrians, who fled the city, and 
surveyed him but from a respectful distance. 

In Venice I found a Hungarian Legion, commanded by 
Capt. Lougi Vinkler,* and composed of the Hungarians who 
now, in spite of mortal dangers, continually deserted the flag of 
Radeczky. I requested my commandants, (or rather, I left 
by my own authority, the " regiment of the union," in which 
everything was to be found except union,) to be transferred to 
this Legion, and was glad to find myself among soldiers, who 
performed their duties not only w T ith the strictest punctuality, 
but considered it a holy duty. I was rejoiced also to find I 
was among my countrymen. 

But I did not enjoy very long the happiness of being a sol- 
dier of a republic. 

Usually I had the honor to dine with my Capt. Lougi Vink- 



* This captain justly deserves to be commemorated in the annals of history. — 
When Count Zichy, by birth a Hungarian magnate, and at the above time Gene- 
ral de Chevalleri, and military commander of the city of Venice, was summoned by 
the Venetians to withdraw the Austrian forces, or they would fight ard expel them. 
He answered that though he had means in his power not ouly to resist, but to level 
the city with his lagunas, yet he had not enough depravity to resist their rights aud 
to destroy the monumental city. "I know,'' said he, "that I shall be tiiedand 
sentenced to death by the Austrian martial law, but I give up with pleasure my 
few remaining days. May they only lead you, and put you in the possession of 
your national rights — and save your fair city from the extreme calamity.* Accor- 
dingly he gave orders to the Austrian troops to leave the city. Every branch 
obeyed the order ; except that Chevalliere Cullatr, the Brigadier General, opposed 
it, and ordered his brigade to fire upon the people, when Captain Louigi Vinkler, 
who also found himself in the brigade, stepped forward before his company, and 
said, pointing to his breast: " First shoot here, and afterwards, if you please, upon 
the people, your brothers. The company was struck with amazement, and low- 
ered their muskets. The people stormed the brigade and forced it to retire into 
the bariacks, from whence, after three days and nights' siege, they left Venice down 
cast and disarmed. Count Zichy was entreated by every saint of Venice to remain 
among them. But lie declined, snying, that he must give report to his Majesty. 

Arriving at Trieste he was arrested, and after the Cossacks and Gen. Gorgey clo- 
sed the door of servitude on the Hungarian nation, he was sentenced by the mar- 
tial law to be imprisoned for life. 



MY PART IN ITALY. 69 

ler, in the crystal saloon called " Al vapore," and while there 
at dinner one day, it happened that a gentleman of an appear- 
ance very familiar to me, occupied the place opposite to myself. 
He ordered " risotto alia milanese "—(rice made in milanese 
manner.) I said to my captain that I had seen somewhere my 
"vis-a-vis" companion, but could not recollect where, I am 
not nervous, but vexed unspeakably when my memory fails 
me. And I have kindled my mood, to light up the dark store 
of my remembrance, like Diogenes, when searching for justice 
by lamp-light in daytime. I was looking in every corner of 
the closely filled magazine of my diary, but to my vexation I 
was not able to catch a glimpse of what I was looking for. 

Durino- this unsuccessful research the milanese rice was 
brought by the servant before my unknown gentleman, who 
after cutting off a piece of the bread crust with as much dexter- 
ity as a surgeon w r ould cut off a finger, took with extravagant 
delicacy his spoon and helped the rice with the bread crust 
into it, and with the spoon into his mouth, which when opened 
to receive the dosis, exhibited the places where once stood a 
couple of teeth ; but now in spite of his middle age, they w r ere 
departed. The maneuvre by which he crowded the milanese 
rice into his spoon, and by which he managed the spoon, told 
me at once that he was German, while the empty places of his 
teeth helped me to catch what I could not find by the light of 
my memory. I knew him now perfectly well. He was the 
adjutant of the Austrian General, of Count Ludolf, in Verona. 
Also I saw that his half grown bushy whiskers and mustache 
was the veil which had hid him from my memory. I said 
nothing to my captain, but with all civility I began to exam- 
ine him in the Italian language, thus : % 

" You will excuse me sir, if I am not able to resist my curi- 
osity, since it seems to me that this is not the first time we have 
seen each other, if I ask you your name. For in spite of that 
certainty with which I am convinced I know you well, I for- 
get your name ?" 



10 MY PART IN ITALY. 

" My name, sir, is Stephano Blocca," replied he. 

" This is an Italian name," remarked I, " and rather un- 
known to me." 

" Yes sir, but I am a Switzer from Canton Ticino." 

* You are from the Canton of Hades," thought I. But de- 
cency required me not to be harsh, so I said, rather imposingly, 

" What are you doing in Venice ?" 

" I am here on my business," said he, a little confused. 

" Business ! What is that business ?" 

The captain secretly gave me a blow with his foot, and with 
a glance of his eyes bade me give it up ; while the gentlemen 
sitting by began to open their ears and eyes, for I put my 
questions in a rather loud tone. 

" Sir !" said the stranger, " That is my business — not yours !" 
but I remarked that he grew rougher. 

" No doubt, sir!" said I. ""Your business is your own, and 
nobody will meddle with it. But my business is my own busi- 
ness, and that is to know what is your business P 

" If you are so obstinate," said he, with no little indignation, 
" Here is a paper from the police court, to answer your insolent 
curiosity." Saying so he drew from his pocket book and hand- 
ed me a paper partly printed, partly written. 

From this paper I understood that he was authorized by the 
police court to stay in Venice ; also acknowledged by the same 
court as an agent of a trading house in communication with a 
Venetian merchant. But I was not satisfied. (The Austrians 
had taught me not to trust them ' " Well," said I, " Have you 
your passport !" 

" Yes sir !" replied he, pettishly. 

" Will you show it to me, and at the same time excuse my 
conduct? But you know we are in a very critical condition, 
and it is the duty of every soldier of the republic to look out." 

I made this apology not that I was in doubt that he was 
the same Austrian officer I took him for, but because my cap- 



MY PART IN ITALY. Vl 

tain became very imeasy ab©ut my conduct, while the crowd, 
though all gentlemen— if they should have been formed — if 
they smelt who he was and what he might be, I had every 
reason to suppose would treat him a little worse than I treated 
him. Besides, though he was an Austrian officer, I was yet 
not wholly convinced that he was on mischief in Venice. 

11 My passport is in the police office," said he. " I was obli- 
ged to deposit it there." 

" This makes no difference," said I. We will go directly 
there. And I advise you," continued I, lowering my tone, 
u not to make any resistance. I have my reasons for doing 
what I do, and if I am doing you any injustice, I will be ready 
to give you whatever kind of satisfaction you desire, providing 
it be in my power. But now please to follow me." 

The pretended Switzer conjectured from the piercing glances 
of bystanding citizens, that the best he could do was to obey. 
I arose and he followed me. Some of the guests also accom- 
panied me. 

" We will take a gondola," said I, perceiving from the look 
he cast anxiously around that he was ashamed. " So we shall 
be relieved of our suite." I ordered a gondola. He got into 
the gondola first, and after him an unknown gentlemanly look- 
ing person, intruding himself with such agility, that I, who 
with my whole soul lingered gazing on the Austrian, noticed 
him only when he stepped into the gondola. 

" Halloo sir !" said I, " You are in a mistake. This gon- 
dola is exclusively for my use." 

" And for the use of the republic," said he, confidently. — 
" Come, come; do not be alarmed." 

I was unspeakably excited at this conduct, being struck with 
the idea that he might be a secret friend of the Austrian, who 
under a false pretext wished to accompany us. And I asked 
not very courteously, " Who are you ?" 

" You will hear," said he. Now come." 



*12 MY PART IN ITALY. 

It was no time to trifle, nor was I disposed to; and excited 
and doubtful as I was, I said : " I shall count one, two three, 
and if you are still in the gondola I will shoot you, as truly as 
you are in my gondola. At the same time I drew my double- 
barreled pistol — aimed it at his head, and said * One !" But 
before I pronounced the " Two " my intruder jumped out with 
as much agility as a monkey, — that is to say, the same as he 
jumped in. And I jumped in. " Now," said I to the gondo- 
lier, " * AvantV Go ahead as quick as you can. I shall not 
forget to put my hand in my pocket before you leave us and 
give you my last zwanziger, what the republic gave me." 

Then turning to my Switzer, who was not a little excited by 
the preceding scenes, but who spoke not a word, I asked him, 

" Have you arms ?" 

" No sir !" was the reply. 

" On your word of honor ?" 

" On my word of honor." 

" Well, I spare myself the trouble to search your pocket, and 
the humilation to you which would be subjected by a little 
tickling if you are an honest man ;" said I. And I could not 
help adding, " which I can hardly believe." 

"You insult me, sir, and without provocation," said he an- 
grily, for his eyes flashed with fire. 

I remained silent, pointing to the distance in which I kept 
myself from him, and to the pistol, as to say, " you understand 
me.'' Indeed I acted my part so well, now the second time, 
that I had not anticipated such adroitness from myself. 

A few minutes — and the gondola, which under experienced 
hands cut the water so rapidly that it had no time to run be- 
fore its sharp nose, halted at the marble stairs which conducted 
to the police office. 

I inquired for the chief, and without delay we were admit- 
ted. I stated the cause of our visit, and the chief ordered one 
of his assistants to look after the passport, which was found in 



MY PART IN ITALY. 



73 



a few minutes, while the chief courteously invited us to sit 
down. 

" What a difference," thought I, " between a Magistrate of a 
Republic, and that of a Monarchy ! One of the latter would 
have let me stand four or five hours in a military position. — 
And if I would take a little ease by bending one of my legs 
he would cry, " How stand you ? Who am I ?" 

The chief scrutinized the passport with great minuteness, and 
afterwards handed it to me, saying, " I find everything in or- 
der ;" while our stranger, with an air of offended dignity was 
sitting in his arm chair. 

I examined the passport, and found all not right, I found 
for instance that this gentleman entered Mantua in the month 
of August, when Mantua was besieged so closely that no living 
person except those belonging to the Austrian Government, 
were permitted to enter its gates. A circumstance which gave 
some grounds that all was not right. 

" Now, sir !" said I, " I guarantee you that whatever may 
be the reason for which this gentleman is now in Venice, one 
year and a half ago he was the adjutant of Count Ludolf, Gen- 
eral of Division, at that time, in Yerona. I swear by the most 
Holy Virgin, and if this is not enough there will be no one in 
our legion to dispute what I say." 

In short we were both detained in the police office. The 
chief sent for my countrymen, whom I named. When the 
gentleman who par fors insisted on coming with unentered 
the office, and perceiving me he looked half smiling, half indig- 
nant, and saluting the chief in a familiar manner, turned tow- 
ards me and said : " Vol avete una testa calda, (You have a 
hot head.) You would have shot me if I had not left the 
gondola." 

* I think so, sir," said I. « But as you now are here, I am 
very anxious to know who you are, in order that if you have 



74 MY PART IN ITALY. 

any reason to give for your conduct, it will be all right; but if 
not, I am yet disposed to find fault with you." 

" I do not doubt it," said he. " Come with me ;" and so 
saying he entered the next room. I followed him. 

" My dear sergeant," said he, when we were alone, " I am 
one of the secret police officers, and the reason I insisted on 
coming with you was, that the gentleman whom you have con- 
ducted, has already been for some time under our eyes. He is 
suspected, but there are no proofs, and I thought that during 
your passage he might play some serious trick with you, and 
escape, if he has reason to escape ; and I think he has. But 
your manoeuvre convinced me that I had nothing to fear on 
that account. Indeed, you performed your duty well." 

" Are you sure that he is an Austrian officer ?" 

" As sure as that I am standing before you. At least when 

I lately saw him he was." 

" Well, we are on the track," said he. " But his papers are 

all in order. " 

I said here what I believed not to be in order, that is : — the 
entrance into Mantua in the month of August; when every 
third day I had, been on duty at the gates, and knew well that 
no merchant's agent could enter. 

During this colloquy the under officers of the Hungarian Le- 
gion arrived, and I was ordered to remain where I was, from 
whence I could see nothing, but hear all that passed. 

" Are you acquainted with this gentleman ?" the chief of 
police asked the first admitted under officer. 

" No sir, I don't believe that I am," answered the voice. 

" His physiognomy is also entirely new to you ?" 

II No sir. The physiognomy is not new to me. I see that 
it is between forty and fifty years old!" 

II I do not mean how old you estimate him ; but I ask if you 
have ever seen him before ?" 



MY PART IN ITALY. 7 5 

" It may be that I have seen him, but I don't know when 
or where. Ask him if he knows me." 

" That is another question ; said the chief." 

" Well sir, if he were an officer, I would — of course, I must 
know him ; but being a peasant, I pay very little attention to 
them." 

" You may go," said the chief. " Send in the next." 

And the next one came in, who was also asked by the chief, 
the same as the first: "Are you acquainted with this gen- 
tleman?" 

" I do not understand," said he, in the Hungarian language, 
— " JVem ertem bnt." 

" I do not understand what you say," said the chief, in Ital- 
ian language. " I non comprendo eke cosa dite." 

" You may speak what you please," said the Hungarian, in 
his mother tongue, amusing himself; " But I shall not under- 
stand it if you speak till to-morrow morning." 

" What are you saying ?" said the chief impatiently, in Italian. 

"What shall I say to him?" the Hungarian asked himself. 

" Don't you speak Italian ?" 

"Ah! aha! now I understand him," said he to himself, but 
always in Hungarian. " How can I say to him that I do not 
speak Italian ? Yes ! uhm, now I have it — " Nix Italiano " — 
said he with great effort, which in half German and half Ital- 
ian, means " nothing Italian. 

" Nix Italiano !" echoed the chief, " speak you German ?" 

"Nix German — Ungharese — Magyar vagyor," I am Hun- 
garian. 

" Well, well," said the chief, losing his patience, and going 
into the ante- room to find somebody among the Hungarians who 
could speak both languages, and he returned in company with 
a sergeant. " Well," said he, " Translate what this corporal, 
your countryman, has said." 



76 MY TART IN ITALY. 

" Yes sir," said the sergeant, and afterwards turning to the 
corporal, asked him "what have } T ou said?" 

" Nothing," replied he. 

" He says that he has said nothing," reported the sergeant, 

" "Well, ask him if he know this gentleman here. " 

The question was translated — 

"Hm — Hm — commenced the "nix German" of course in 
the Hungarian language, and speaking to himself — *• I saw 
him — I knew him — but this mustache and beard — well may- 
be he is no longer an Austrian officer. Exactly ? He deserted 
for freedom like myself — well so much the better — He may 
here become a General — and I will — " 

" What does he say?" said the chief, interrupting his so- 
liloquy. 

The sergeant translated. 

*• Well ! ask him if he also knows this gentleman to be an 
Austrian officer ?" 

The sergeant asked him. 

" Of course I know him," said the a Nix German." " He 
was the adjutant of General Count Ludolf in Verona. He was 
the best horseman in the whole garrison, because he had the 
best horses, as I am corporal, now sergeant Miklossy used to 
train them. He paid us every month four dollars, and as I 
was at this time but a poor private, it was very welcome." 

The sergeant translated his words. 

" Well, Gentleman," asked the chief of the stranger, " Do 
you know or recollect anything of this corporal ?" 

" No sir," replied he briefly. 

" Well," said the corporal, " it is very probable. For the 
officers take very little interest in the common soldiers, and 
what is more, I then wore the Austrian uniform, as did this 
gentleman. But I know him, notwithstanding he looks now 
more like a peasant than an officer — If he does not know me 
he certainly will corporal Miklossy. He spoke with him always 



MY PAUL IN ITALY. 17 

because he knew the German language — Eh ! if I were able 
only to ask him if he has yet this yellow mokany*. It was a 
fine horse, worth among brothers — I don't know how 
much — " 

"What is he about," interrupted the chief. 

The sergeant translated. 

" Well ! is sergeant Miklossy here ?" 

" Yes sir." 

" Let him come in." 

When the sergeant entered, whose curved legs showed that 
he had served long in the cavalry, the question was put to him. 
After a minute's recollection, in spite of his moustache and 
beard, he knew him. He also related that while stationed at 
Verona he was ordered to drill the horses of Gen. Count Lu- 
dolf, to which were added those of his adjutant, the present 
gentleman. That he was assisted in training the horses, some- 
times sixteen or eighteen in number, by corporal Farkas, who 
was also the " Nix German " present, and by another who was 
also then present in Venice, because they deserted together. 

" What have you to say to this ?" asked the chief of the 
Austrian. 

He said that they took him for another man who probably 
had a great resemblance to him. 

The evidence was enough for the chief to lock him up for 
further examination, which he did. 

On the following morning he was taken before President 
Manin. We also were ordered to be present as witnesses. — 
He denied obstinately but calmly, that he had ever been in the 
Austrian service, in spite of the fact that now a dozen of my 
countrymen attested him to be the very man I stated. The 
President ordered him to be committed to the Lazaretto till 
the eDd of the revolutionary war. I was not content with this 



A breed of the Hungarian horses, small of size, but of very strong muscles. 



^8 MY PART IN ITALY. 

sentence, and was so excited that I gave utterance to my dis- 
content in such a loud tone that it reached the ears of the 
President, 

" Well ! what would you do with him ?" asked the President. 

" Hang him !" I briefly replied in my excitement, " as they 
have hanged hundreds of our brothers. " 

" We have no hangmen," replied he significantly. 

" This is no difficulty," said I, " I will perform the duty." 

The President looked me full in the face, and after a few 
moments said, " We have no gallows." 

" There is the high steeple in the square of Saint Marco, that 
will fit him very well !" 

" This was the standard of old republics, which had enough 
of hangmen — and gallows — and for what good?" say- 
ing so, he turned to the officer who had him in charge, and 
said, " Lead him into the Lazaretto without irons — and there 
he shall remain on half pay till the end of war." 

" Very well," thought I, " by and by our prisoners will be 
better off than ourselves." But scarcely had the first period of 
my indignation passed, wben recollecting that I had offered 
myself to perform the hangman's duty, I was disgusted at the 
thought. But I was exasperated, and am to this day against 
the Austrian officers. I cannot help it, Now the President 
made a sign to me to approach him ; I did so, and he request- 
ed me to wait till he should be at liberty, as he wished to speak 
with me alone. 

At once the thought struck me that the President would 
take me at my word, and use me as a hangman. I confess I 
felt not a little troubled, and accused myself of being thought- 
less in my utterance, having spoken words for which I could 
hardly be deemed a good man. To be a hangman ! Shame ! 
I abhorred unspeakably the idea, which made me tremble in the 
whole of my frame. Yet I had offered myself without provo- 
cation, and so to withdraw my proposal was equally inconve- 



MY PART IN ITALY. 79 

nient. I felt myself on thorns. At last the President finished, 
or rather set apart for a while his business, and intimated to 
me to follow him into the adjoining room. 

I thought I was going to receive a hangman's diploma, and 
shuddered again and again. But God be loved! The issue 
was quite different. 

" Your name is Kodolfo Bardy ?" asked he, with his usual 
vivacity, which contrasted not a little with his care-worn fea- 
tures and toil-bent frame ; while he pointed to a chair. 

" Yes sir, at your service," answered I. 

" You speak our language well." 

" It is not my merit sir, but the merit of the language, or 
rather of its makers or reformers. It is impossible not to be 
enamored of it, if we begin to be a little acquainted with it." 

" Good compliment!" said he, smiling; and now ordered me 
to sit down. He put me some questions concerning my birth> 
education and former mode of life. I answered him briefly, in 
substance as I have related to the reader. He listened very at- 
tentively and not without emotion. 

" You have, it's true," said he, sighing,* " more than enough 
cause to hate the Austrian Government and its tools. But who 
among us has not ? While we have absolutely no right to hate 
our neighbors. You are a young man, mark what I say. He is 
not and can not be truly republican and christian who yields to 
the impulse of hate and revenge. You did not understand me 
when I said we have no hangmen nor gallows. I meant that 
while I shall be President of this republic, hangmen and gallows 
shall not exist in Venice. But enough of this. I wish to speak 
with you about a matter which greatly interests as well the Hun- 
garian as our own cause. I have received via Constantinople, 



* He had been incarcerated by the Austrian Government, was liberated by the 
people of Venice, and brought from prison directly iato the Presidential chuir. — 
He is now in Paris, earning his bread and butter by giving lessons in the Italian 
language. His wife died of anguish during the bombardment of Venice. His 
only daughter became iusane, but he has a hopeful bou. 



80 MY PART IN ITALY. 

documents from the Hungarian National Assembly. Some of 
these concern the Hungarians who yet continue in the Austrian 
army. I am requested in the warmest terms by your Govern- 
ment to communicate these documents to your countrymen who 
are in tfee Austrian army. Also I am myself very anxious to 
satisfy this desire of your government, but hitherto I have 
found no man fit for this expedition. Now I ask you sincerely, 
and I expect as sincere an answer. Are you disposed to un- 
dertake this matter ? You speak fluently both languages, and 
as to your zeal for our common cause, your recent conduct suf- 
ficiently proves that I may trust it fully. What is your 
answer ?" 

" Mr. President," said I, quite overjoyed at bearing that my 
commission was not to be a hangman's, or to hang another 
man, but to be a spy, or in other words, to be hanged myself. 
But this mattered little, and I continued, " Whatever is in my 
power, by which I can benefit our common cause, I will do. I 
will chearfully lie a sacrifice on the altar of our struggling father- 
land. And in the present case, although I am well aware that if 
I fall into the hands of the Austrians, as their emissary has fallen 
into ours, they will not lock me up in the Lazaretto till the end 
of the war, on half pay, but will forever lock up my lips — yet 
never mind. If my fate is to meet the gallows in the service 
of my fatherland, I will care but little. At the same time I 
will not fail to keep a good look-out, that I may report to you 
with my own lips how I succeed." 

" That is the answer I expected from you," said he, praising 
me. And tendering his hand he pressed mine warmly. " I 
have to thank you," continued he, "for the discovery of this 
Austrian officer. We have reason to believe there are quite a 
number of the same sort. But what their place may be is yet 
unknown. This discovery may lead us in the track of it. Now 
I must leave you. Come at two o'clock this afternoon to my 
house, and I will give you the documents and the instructions." 



MY PART IN ITALY. 81 

I bowed, but not from courtesy — nor from hypocrisy — nor 
from blind obedience or servitude — but with and from my 
heart, before the goodness and virtues of the man. 

It were tiresome for the reader to hear the story how I pre- 
pared myself in my mind and in my garments — all calculated 
to deceive — for ray dishonorable expedition. For say what we 
please, the office of a spy is not, cannot be the most honoi able 
I was acquitted on this point only by the consciousness that I 
did it not for any low and vile price, but for my fatherland.— 
At two o'clock I waited on the President. He gave me the 
documents, of which the most important article was, that the 
Hungarian Assembly informed us that they had concluded a 
treaty with the Republics of Venice, Rome and Piedmonte, 
in virtue of which these authorities obliged themselves to pro- 
tect every Hungarian who deserted and should desert the Aus- 
trian flag — to provide them with uniforms, victuals, payment — 
and should they arrive in sufficient number to form a corps, to 
arm them in order that they might cut their way into Hungary. 
I scarcely need remark that my expedition was of the most 
dangerous sort, providing I wished to discharge the duties' 
connected with it. Yet, for the reason that I was perfectly 
well acquainted with the spirit, manner, nature and condition 
of the Austrian army, I cherished a confident expectation that 
I should come to a successful issue. The reader is not unaware 
that a man in a place where he is well acquainted finds an ob- 
ject more easily in darkness than another who is not acquainted 
can by daylight. Such was the case with me. 

On the fifth of December, 1848, I embarked in the post-boa^ 
Tunning weekly between Ravenna and Venice. I had a hun- 
dred copies of documents, printed on the finest paper, in my 
cane, which was made hollow for this very purpose. Also a 
check was given to me, with a kiss on ray forehead. The for- 
mer to help me and my countrymen if I should come in need 
where money could help, or be necessary to carry out my task, 
and the latter as a talisman, to inspire me with courage and de- 



82 MY PART IN ITALY. 

termination. The boat Lad a couple of sails, but not being a 
mariner, I cannot describe it. So much I saw, that when the 
sea was calm, the six men whom we had on board helped it 
along with their oars. 

On the following morning, the courier, pointing to a vessel 
on the horizon, said it was an Austrian brig, and very likely, if 
they observed us, they would try to take us. The courier was 
not mistaken, for the brig came directly towards us. We were 
about six miles from the bay, and before she arrived within gun- 
shot, we safely entered the Bay of Ravenna, a considerable city 
in the Roman States. 

From here, with a diligence, I started for Bologna. My in- 
tention was to visit the cities of Modena and Reggio, which, as 
I was told, had Austro-Hungarian garrisons. 

In Bologna I hired a fine horse with a light leather-covered 
Italian chaise, and shaved off my moustache and hair, replacing 
the latter by a wig, of a color rather contrasting with my dark 
complexion, my other garments I arranged after an old Dutch 
fashion. I practiced before a looking glass, like a monkey, to 
make myself familiar with the demeanor required by my cos- 
tume. Providing myself while in Venice, with passes under 
Austrian seals, which they left when they fled from Venice, I 
started on my expedition, well knowing that on this side, where 
I intended to cross the frontier, the two States were separated 
by a canal, and passing the bridge on this, I should have no 
difficulty till I reached the gates of Modena. 

Reaching the bridge, I was stopped, by a Croat sei- 
geant, commander of the outpost, twenty- four strong. He 
demanded my passport. I handed it to him. After the 
perusal of it — or rather, after looking at it for a considerable 
time, because I read from his face that he was one of the class 
whom the Austrian government deem more convenient to their 
purpose, not to benefit with the faculty of reading and writing, 

he handed it back, ordering me at the same lime to descend 

from the chaise. I obeyed, and he searched the inside of the 



MY PART IN ITALY. 83 

chaise, and at last ordered me to open my trunk. It was done 
and he with great avidity examined every article of its contents^ 
evidently not with the view or hope of finding any contraband 
article, but of finding some piece which should suit him best. 
With such intention he laid aside a couple of silk handkerchiefs. 
I thought, " Stop, my dear fellow. You will now find your 
man for once." I knew that he would not be content with 
the handkerchiefs, but would ask for some money, should I not 
give it from generosity, for his trouble! Having finished 
the search he made signs, with the handkerchiefs in his hand, 
of inquiring if I were not willing to give them to him. I as- 
sumed an air as if not understanding him, when he bona fide 
put the handkerchiefs in his bosom. 

" Halloo, my friend !" said I in German, " You are mistak- 
en !" and taking from his bosom the handkerchiefs, 1 put them 
in my trunk. 

The sergeant seemed thunderstruck at hearing me speak in 
German, but I left him to his surprise, and taking my big snuff 
box with all the ceremony and manner of a German prince, 
took a long snufT. This manoeuvre established beyond doubt 
the fact that I was a German. 

" I did not know you were a German," said he, with confu- 
sion, and worse accent. 

" I am," said I, " and if you had a little better eyes you 
would perceive I am a bit above your grade in his majesty's 
service. I do not know what your colonel will say, if I report 
to him that you are robbing passengers in such a manner," 
added I, significantly. 

He excused himself, saying that he had not understood me, 
but thought that I was willing to present him the handkerchiefs. 
But I, with the pompous authority of a petty tyrant, re-entered 
my chaise and rode on my way. 

About two miles from Modena I stopped in a village's alber- 
go (hotel) and, comme il fau, refreshing myself and my horse, 
patiently waited for night. As soon as it came, covering the 



84 MY PART IN ITALY. 

earth with its raven wings, I advanced straight to the spot 
where I intended to effect my entrance by mounting the walls. 
With some uneasiness experienced in passing the ditches filled 
with the ice-water of December, I reached the spot. The difficul- 
ty was, not in mounting the walls, about two rods and a half high, 
for they were old and the tooth of time had caused a hole here 
and there, the brick falling out; but the difficulty was to mount 
without being observed. 

I made a scrutinizing glance round myself and not seeing a liv- 
ing being within reach of my eyes, I commenced mounting and 
succeeded. Once within the walls, I directed my paces towards 
the house of the surgeon who attended me while lying under the 
effects of the fifty lashes, and traversing some streets, I found 
by the sentinels that the Hungarians stationed here were the same 
regiment my humble self had served in, a few months ago. 

I found the surgeon, but he no more knew me, nor was in- 
clined to know me, until I had recited to him the particulars 
which had occurred while I was under his care. At length, 
being persuaded that I was the very person, he exclaimed with 
every sign of concern, "In nome di Dio, casa volete qui?' — 
In the name of God, what will you do here? — " You will be 
hanged. How dare you enter this city, as perilous to you as 
hell itself?" 

''Through the walls,'' said I, laughing; "but Zltto! Silen- 

zioP' — hark and silence — "I come not to you to hear ill 
auguries. I have myself plenty of imagination to create them 
for myself; but I come to ask you, as I cannot go into a hotel, 
should my business detain me here for a fortnight, would you 
receive me as your guest ?" 

He made a hundred excuses, evidently not to deny the re- 
quested hospitality, but to make me know what disgrace would 
befal us both, should my whereabouts be discovered. I tried 
to make him acquiesce, and after taking a couple of glasses of 
the renowned wine of Modena, called " Zucchi," he became more 
courageous, as well as loquacious. Among other calamities of 



MY PART IX ITALY. 85 

the city, he related to me how the youth of Modena were mur- 
dered and imprisoned, and how the remnant fled when the 
Austrians returned ; that every prison, and the citadel were full 
of captives, awaiting their fate, which should be decided on the 
return of the Grand Duke. He also said that Count Sipnola, 
the leader whom I mentioned in the first chapter, had fled, and 
his property was confiscated, and his family — an old lady, the 
mother, aud three young sisters, were reduced to extreme mis- 
ery. 

I had no time to listen to the sad details, for I confess, that 
while on one hand I was pressed very much by the wish to ac- 
complish my mission, on the other hand I myself never feel so 
bad — never so much affected — as when I am compelled to 
hear or witness family distresses. So I left him, amidst his 
prayers and warnings to be careful. 

In the cities swayed by the Austrian monarchy you need not 
go miles and miles to find sentinel after sentinel within a very 
short distance. I found two standing before the residence of 
the Brigadier General. I knew both of them, but because there 
were two, I deemed it not advisable to enter into conversation 
and make known myself and my plan. So I left them, and 
finding another, approached him, vehemently puffing with a 
cigar in my mouth, with the design to attract his attention. 
And I was not disappointed, for he said, " Signore, you - will 
oblige me very much if you take the cigar out of your mouth 
while passing before the sentinels, for we should be punished 
for letting people pass before us with cigars in their mouths." 

This voice was very familiar to me, and looking a little sharp- 
er into his eyes, I found one of my old friends, and said in 
Hungarian — 

" You are always the same genteel old fellow, my dear friend, 
and I am glad of it." 

"What!" exclaimed he, forgetting himself. "Are you a 
Hungarian V ' 

" Hungarian ? yes; and your old' friend Bardy," replied I. 



86 MY PART IN ITALY, 

" It is impossible !" continued lie in a loud tone, which made 
me recollect that it is forbidden to speak to the sentinels ; and I 
said — 

" Hark !" we shall both be shot if discovered speaking to- 
gether." Now in a low tone I related to him the cause which 
brought me back. The poor fellow was so far moved that he 
would have come immediately with me. But I told him that be- 
fore he deserted he might accomplish a duty which I could not. 
This was, to scatter the documents in the rooms of the barracks, 
in the night, while his companions were asleep, so as not to be 
observed, and so that before the officers should have time to 
prevent, it might be known to every one. He offered his ser- 
vices and I handed to him the papers and some money. He 
refused to accept the latter, and after I had promised to wait 
for him in the Albergo, where I left my horse, and had given 
him the necessary directions most surely to find me, I left 
him with tears in his eyes. Returning to my surgeon I found 
him in extreme anxiety, despite the empty and full bottles 
among which he was sitting. But after learning my success 
and my intention to leave his house the same night, he was 
more glad of this than I of my success. 

In the same way by which I entered the city, I left it, and 
reaching the hotel, waited a day and a night for my friend • 
He failed not to keep his word. He came about nine o'clock 
in the morning, and while our horse was being harnessed into 
the buggy, he changed his uniform. We made ready and set 
forth. 

I was well aware that the outpost on the canal would not on- 
ly resist oar passage without a special order of the commander 
of the cit} 7 , but they would arrest us and conduct us back 
which might result not very pleasantly. So I made up my 
mind to evade the outpost. When near the bridge I let my 
horse go at his own leisure, in a most majestic slow pace, while 
we, gaily smoking our cigars, made so loud a laughter as might 
be heard half a mile. Our intention was to make the outpost 



MY PART IN ITALY. 87 

believe that we were far better off than to think about escape, 
Arriving at the head of the bridge, the sentinel stopped us and 
called the commander, who had scarcely appeared in the door 
of the watchhouse before I said in one breath, but loudly — 

" We are spies and deserters ! Catch us if you can !" 

At the same time I gave a few tickling blows to the horse 
which sprang out at once with the carriage. The sergeant 
cried, "All' armi ! — to arms ! — Fire !" "Beecee ! /" sounded 
now, and twenty-four musket balls whistled round us. But I 
was ready for such a salute, and had arranged the contents of 
my trunk, also the leather trunk itself, to shelter us. Now a 
second discharge was made, but without effect, though three 
balls penetrated the linen, so that if it had not been thickly 
folded they would have entered our backs. 

Thus I finished the first part of my mission. I afterwards 
visited the city of Reggio, with no less risk and success than 
Modena, and now intended to go into the very heart of Lom- 
bardy — i. e. to Milan. 

On my way, in Turin, I found Baron Splenyi, brother-in-law 
of Gen . Guyon. He acted in the capacity of Hungarian Am- 
bassador at the court of Charles Albert. I found also, another 
Hungarian legion, about two hundred strong, all deserters from 
the Austrian army. This legion was commanded by Captain 
Stephan Tiirr. * Baron Splenyi gave me every assistance and 
instruction to facilitate the success of my mission, and I started 
for Lugano, in Switzerland, in order to procure a passport 
less doubtful than the one in my possession. I knew that at Mi- 
lan I should meet with more difficulty than I had at Mantua. 
Taking a boat loaded with wood, and in the character of a wood 
dealer along the canal of Ticino, I entered the city and remained 
undiscovered by the police and military officers, in whose offi- 
ces I was compelled to present myself, and everywhere submit 
to an examination. 



*It is reported that in the last revolutionary attempt, of 1853, at Milan, he was 
killed. Peace to his ashes! 



88 MY PART IN ITALY. 

I found here two battalions of infantry, and one division of 
Hussars, and being intimately acquainted with some of their 
officers, I resolved to find one of them first of all. 

It was Captain * * * * , whom I not only loved but respect- 
ed much, and who also seemed to entertain towards me a pa- 
ternal feeling while I was in the Austrian army. I immediate- 
ly looked for him. It was evening, for I prefered this part of 
the day for the transaction of my business. I found 
and was admitted to him. When I entered the room the old 
captain* was in the act of lighting his cigar by the candle burn- 
ing before him on the table. I saluted him boldly in the Hun- 
garian language. He looked at me rather with curiosity, for 
the Hungarian tongue and the uniform of a Swiss wood dealer 
contrasted not a little. After inspecting me for a few moments 
he asked — 

"Who are you?" 

u I am Rudolph Bardy," replied I. 

" What ! Bardy ? Which Bardy ? What Bardy ?" 

" Your adopted son once, afterwards a deserter, and now a 
spy in the service of the Venitian Republic." 

He let fall the cigar from his hand on the floor, which I 
picked up and handed to him, while he exclaimed — 

" What are you in Milan fori" 

" To hand you the decree and the covenant ; also the orders 
of the Hungarian Assembly. Here they are," replied I, and 
put the papers before him. He rang the bell. 

" Captain !" said I, not without surprise, but with forced cool- 
ness ; " will you cause my arrest ?" 

But before his answer the servant presented himself at the 
door. 

" This evening I am not at home. Do you understand ?" 
said he to his servant. 

" Very well, captain," replied he, and retired. 



*In the Austrian aimy it is not rare to meet captains who have served thirty or 
• rty yeai s, and hold the same rank for ten, fifteen or twenty. The reason thev are 
net promoted is only because they are Hungarians by birth. 



MY PART IN ITALY. 89 

" And now that I see that in reality you are Bardy, sit down 
and tell me what sinister wind brought you back," said he, en- 
deavoring to hide his surprise caused by my sudden and unex- 
pected appearance. 

I informed him briefly. 

" My dear brother," said he, in the very tone of his heart — 
"think you, or the Hungarian Assembly, that I and my 
brother officers, and our intrepid fellow soldiers, would not 
long ago have cut our way through the Austrian ranks and 
joined Charles Albert, had we but seen that he is showing fair 
play ? But on the contrary, we have seen, and there are unde- 
niable and irrefutable proofs, which positively show that he ma- 
nceuvers in accordance with the will of Austria. Charles Al- 
bert is nothing else, and nothing more nor less than a secret tool 
of the Austrian government, to bring the democracy of Italy 
under the death blow of his batteries and hordes !" 

" My dear captain," said I, " will you state the facts which 
entitle you to speak as you do ?" 

" The facts !" repeated he. " Have you no eyes to see ? 
Have you no mind to understand ? Were the Tuscans" — con- 
tinued he in a bitter tone — " the Tuscans, I say, were they 
not massacred at Anguli, Curtatone, and Montanara?" 

" Yes ; they were," said I, ''for I myself was present at that 
sanguinary affair." 

" "Well," said he ; " under what circumstances were they mur- 
dered ?" 

" They were about two thousand, and we Austrians sixteen 
thousand, if not more. They resisted five hours so bravely 
that I felt a tear in my eyes, when I was ordered to escort the 
survivors to the citadel." 

" Well," said the captain ; " where was Charles Albert ?" 

" I do not know," replied I. 

" At Goito," replied he, " three hours distant from the place 
of massacre, at the head of an army of thirty thousand, which 



90 MY PART IN ITALY. 

lay quietly in their barracks, and not a soul was moved to as- 
sist these braves — these heroes, I may say. And who ordered, 
who sent these Tuscans, these genuine democrats, to these 
points ?" 

" Charles Albert, of course," said I, " for he was commander 
in chief." 

" Yes; he it was who led them to these points with a prom- 
ise t3 assist them in case of an attack. But when from every 
side the mouth of death opened against them, Charles Albert 
left them to their inexorable fate. But further — were not the 
Lombard volunteers, at Governolo, massacred under similar cir- 
cumstances ?" 

" Yes; they were," said I, for after our unsuccessful expedi- 
tion, on the second day of Pentacoste, as the reader will remem- 
ber, they were attacked by a far superior force. They not only 
resisted bravely, but took two battalions of Croats prisoners. 
But on the third time being attacked with batteries of heavy 
artillery, the village was destroyed and the brave volunteers 
massacred. 

" Moreover," said the captain, " why did General Durando, 
who at the head of fifteen thousand Romans passed the Po, 
capitulate to General D' Aspre, at Virenza ?" 

" I do not know," said I. 

" Because Charles Albert left him entirely to the Austrians. 
Gen. D' Aspre in his front, Gen. Badeczky in his rear at Vero- 
na. And lastly," said the captain, " did not Charles Albert 
leave behind him the handful of volunteers at Mantua, while 
he capitulated here at Milan, and re-crossed the Ticino, leaving 
these poor fellows in entire ignorance of his movement, and of 
their own situation ?" 

The words of the captain were literally but too true ! 

" But now I ask you," continued be — " as you come from 
Piedmonte, of course you must be better acquainted with the 
spirit of the Piedmontese army and people than I am — what 
is the common feeling of the army ?" 



MY PART IN IT4LT. 91 

" Not very encouraging," said I, " for they suffered much in 
the late campaign, and several times were worsted. They 
are little inclined to return again." 

" Yes !" said the captain . " Here lies the essence of the mat- 
ter. While Charles Albert led the volunteers to the very 
mouths of the Austrian cannons, or left them to a force sixteen 
times superior to theirs, with the intention, or rather the 
determination, to have them all killed, he calculated very 
ingeniously that this catastrophe would strike a panic into 
his own army. Not content with this, he attempted, by 
every means, to demoralize them. They suffered in cloth- 
ing, food, fatigue from unnecessary marches — and when 
entirely exhausted of their physical and spiritual energy and 
courage, he led them against the Austrians in such battle order 
that their defeat was inevitable. And now, no wonder if the 
army is little disposed to renew the campaign. But what are 
the people doing?" 

"Th e people, by every means in their power, seek to com- 
pel him to come back and fight again ; otherwise they threaten 
to overturn his throne." 

"Poor people! poor people!" sighed he. " I must say with 
our Saviour, ' Father, forgive them, for they know not what 
they do.' What do you think would be the result of a new 
campaign ?" 

" I can hardly imagine, but I hope for the best." 

"The worst, my brother," said he. "If the people compel 
Charles Albert to renew the battle, he will say, ' Well ! I will 
return and immediately raise an enormous army, not to fight 
the Austrians — oh no ! but to help them ; because the expen- 
ses of maintaining this army will wear out the good feeling of 
the Piedmontese towards their Lombard brothers. The army 
will become malcontent with the nation, because it is the nation 
that compels them to return for a new campaign, of which they 
have so sour a memory.' Next, Charles Albert will form into 
a body the survivors of the volunteers snd democrats, lead 



92 MY PART IN ITALY. 

them into the very center of the Austrian army, and while they 
shall be killed in thousands and thousands, he will say, 'My 
work is accomplished ;' for this will be the last death blow to 
democracy in Lombardy and Piedmonte. His army, with such 
spirit as it has now, will make no front against the victorious 
army advancing over the dead bodies of the volunteers. I say, 
It will make no front, nor will Charles Albert or his Generals 
force them to make opposition, but they will leave them to fly, 
and having fled in every direction, to devastate and rob their 
own country — and so the people will see that the way is 
open to Radeczky and his Croats. Yes, my brother," contin- 
ued the captain ; "the whole revolutionary war is a compact 
agreed upon by every tyrant in Europe. Charles Albert is their 
tool here in Italy. But never mind; you will see that Charles 
Albert will be chanted as a martyr, and Radeczky as the great- 
est general of our ago. But the former is nothing but a traitor, 
and the latter an executioner." 

I must confess that these words of the captain made upon 
my mind a very unpleasant impression. I saw that he was not 
far from the truth, and afterward 1 found that he was perfectly 
right. 

" Go back," said he at last. " Do not risk your head in this 
dangerous mission, but seek to go into Hungary in some way, 
for you shall see that the Piedmontese government at last will 
compel you all to return under the Austrian flag. But if you 
obey their order, no longer call me your brother." 

" I hope," said I, " that we shall never more wear Austrian 
uniform." 

" Uniform !" exclaimed he — " rope, my dear friend ! — a 
rope ! You and all of yours will be hanged, if you fall into 
the hands of this Godless race !" 

How far these words of my brother captain were true, we 
shall see. 



THE BATTLE OF KOYAEA. 



— " Tyranny of late has cuxning grown, 
And in its own good season, tramples down 
The sparkles of our ashes. # * * 
« * * • • * 

Better, though each man's life blood were a river, 
That it should flow and overflow, than creep 
Through thousand lazy channels in our veins, 
Dammed, like the dull canal, with lock and chains. 



| Mktastasio said "The throne is bright, and its rays and splen- 
dor cover its dark crimes from mortal eyes." I am of opinion, 
that this sentence was never more applicable thaa during the 
years 1848-9 in Europe, as we shall see, 

Charles Albert on the 10th of April, 1849, broke the armis- 
tice and proclaimed his intention to re-cross the Ticino and re- 
new the battle. Gen. Radeczky answered this intelligence in 
the public papers, by an appeal to his army, in which the Gen- 
eral spoke of Charles Albert with expressions which, even 
among rowdies and lazzaroni, to say nothing of their insolence 
would be termed unmerciful. They would have moved the 
feelings of a man of any condition, from whose bosom was not 
yet entirely obliterated the sentiment of self-respect and dignity 
But it moved not the King. The General denounced his Maj- 
esty as a lawless invader, a coward, a villain — a curse to the 
Italian nation. Even his insolence advanced farther. He said : 
" He who supposes that Charles Albert is loved and trusted 



94 THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 

by the Italian nation must go into the palace of Gonraga, at 
Milan, and there he will find his portrait perforated through 
and through with pistol balls." And he appealed to his array 
not to wait till he should re-cross theTicino, but to pi event him 
from crossing it, to transfer the theatre of war to the Piedmon- 
tese soil, and not to rest till they reached Turin, and his throne 
should be overturned and his crown broken in pieces. 

Now I ask the reader if he can form any idea, or conjecture 
for what purpose such language was uttered by Gen. Radecz- 
ky, and such measures taken to prevent him from crossing the 
Ticino ? I hardly believe he can, but I will tell it. It was to 
deceive the people of Piedmonte, and to frighten them. I say 
to deceive them, because they began to doubt the sincerity of 
Charles Albert, though from their eyes was carefully hidden 
the management of the late campaign. But this answer in the 
public papers not only convinced the people that Charles Albert 
was, and ought to be an inexorable enemy of Radeczky, but 
they regretted to have doubted for an instant the honesty of 
their King, and in fact declared him to be a martyr for the 
Italian nationally. And they took strong oaths to help 
him with their last farthing, to revenge the insult to his Majes- 
ty's person. 

I saw now that the prophecy of my brother captain was go- 
in o- to be fulfilled. I was convinced the more because I was 
informed that his Highness sent the Lombard volunteers — fif- 
teen thousand in number, to the bridge of Bava, to resist the 
passage of the Ticino by Gen. Radeczky, while he was concen 
trating his whole army, a hundred and thirty thousand strong- 
in the city of Novara and its environs. 

Gen. Bava, the commander of the fifteen thousand Lombards 
whether he became aware of the infamous design of Charles 
Albert, or like a man well versed in military tactics, foresaw 
that his utter defeat was inevitable if he should obey the order 
to defend the bridge, and to resist the passage of the Austrian* 
over it, thought probably that a couple of thousand men and a 



THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 95 

small artillery force would occupy his whole attention, while the 
Austrians above and below the bridge* might pass the canab 
surround him and kill the whole army, as they had done with 
the Tuscans; and that Charles Albert would not order a single 
company to his assistance, as was the case with the Tuscans.—- 
Through the defeat of his army the Austrians would be en- 
couraged ; while the Italian army, already low-spirited, would 
be panic struck, and fly, as Charles Albert wished. By such a 
manoeuvre of course the way would be opened to Eadeczky to 
march directly to Turin. Thither they would go, not to over- 
turn the authorities, but to plunder, murder and frighten the 
people of Piedmonte, who were so nobly interested in the cause 
of their Lombard brethren. He also retired from the bridge, 
took a position as defensible as it was rendered by mother Na- 
ture for such purposes, and determined to let the Austrians pass 
and meet them breast to breast — steel against steel, though his 
army was only a quarter as large as the Austrian, and all vol- 
unteers; not having a single trained officer except himself, who 
was elected by a unanimous vote of his army. 

Radeczky passed the Ticino, but instead of meeting the hand- 
ful of volunteers, he advanced straightway toward Novara, leav- 
ing a small detachment to occupy Gen. Marmora's volunteers. 

On the 26th day of March, 1849, about 11 o'clock A. M., 
the thunder of the batteries — which made not only the massive 
buildings of the city tremble, but the earth itself — alarmed the 
citizens, who were otherwise troubled by the thousands of sol- 
diers. I, in company with Baron Splenyi, leaped on our horses 
and in a quarter of an hour witnessed the magnificent spectacle 
from an elevated point, where the King himself, with his staff, 
was standing. Our position entirely commanded the position 
of the Austrians. We had thirty-thousand on the field, and 
thirty -five thousand more at our rear in the city. Durino- two 
hours and a half only, the batteries worked with a tremendous 



* The canal, in so me places only 4 mile wide, may be crossed on. fooL 



96 TEIE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 

cannonade, and the skirmishers, (tiralleurs) both from a con- 
siderable distance,- and with little destruction. Now the Aus- 
trians advanced in columns to storm, but were repelled by the 
second line of the battle. They attempted a second storm, but 
with no better success. The battle now was reduced to its for_ 
mer manoeuvres, that is, the batteries from their respective posi- 
tions. The first line of Infantry from a convenient distance and 
here and there the cavalry were desperately engaged, when a 
battalion of the second line* exclaimed at once, " Tradimento ! 
Treason !" — and turning their backs to the Austrians, began to 
flee, while their officers instead of rallying them, run twenty 
or thirty paces before them, sword in hand. This battalion 
drew after itself the next two, which were standing on their right 
and left, and these were followed by the whole second line. — 
There was not a single officer to arrest them in their precipitous 
flight. On the contrary, when they reached the third line* 
called reserve, they alarmed them so far that they too, as if 
swept along by an irresistible flood, joined in the flight, without 
waiting to ask what was the matter. The field now, where 
but a few minutes ago stood ranks of battalions and regiments 
— the hope of Italy — was covered with red helms (plumes) 
and muskets desperately thrown away by the panic-stricken 
army. The foremost line which was engaged in action, be- 
haved itself bravely. In particular, the cavalry made some de- 
termined charges. But as soon as they knew that the lines of 
assistance and reserve had fled, they lost their courage, while 
the Austrians made a renewed onset, and killed about fou r 
hundred, dispersing the others in every direction. 

I saw, with deep anguish of soul, that while the words of 



* The battle generally is begun in three lines— the first, called tiralleure— is in 
loose order, nearest to the enemy, and is left to manoeuvre at its own judgment. — 
The second line, called the assistance line, is stationed on the points considered by 
the commander the most advantageous forhim. In case the first line is repelled 
h ey take up the battle. The third, called the reserve, is to fill the ranks of the 
wo former lines if they are damaged by fire. 



THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 97 

my brother captain would be literally fulfilled, the cause of 
Hungary had received here a blow which would cost too much 
blood. 

And so in less than five hours, our army, a hundred and 
thirty thousand strong, was beaten by the forty-five thousand 
Austrians, and the fate of Italy was decided with a loss of four 
hundred men! 

Novara is a city of about thirty thousand inhabitants, and 
surrounded by a wall, built in old times to resist arrows, but 
not cannon balls and bombs. I therefore considered it would 
be a piece of humanity from Gen. Radeczky that he should 
immediately order not to take the town by assault. But he 
began to send into its very bosom dozens of bombs and gren- 
ades, as couriers of the coming doom that overhung the city, 
should the people resist. And these bombs and grenades, 
which spread death, fire and destruction where they touched, 
were not enough. The Piedmontese soldiers began to break 
the doors of the houses and plunder and murder their own 
brethren. So far was this army demoralized, that had I not wit- 
nessed with my own eyes, I would not only not believe, but not 
not even imagine, such dreadful realities as this army perpe- 
trated. 

About eleven o'clock at night, Baron Splenyi, by some of 
his personal friends — it was said, the Duke of Genoa, younger 
son of Charles Albert — was advised to leave the city, as his 
person was not secure here. Now what is more strange, he 
was advised to change his Hungarian uniform, which not only 
might not be respected by the soldiers, but might be a cause 
of serious trouble to him. The Baron obeyed, changed his 
uniform for a common soldier's of the " Guidi's " branch, and 
left me behind with the order, that as soon as I could get an 
authentic copy of the articles of capitulation, I should bring it 
to him at Domo D'ossola, a city on the frontier of Switzer- 
land. 

1 



98 THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 

At twelve o'clock the capitulation was concluded. I think 
it was written and agreed upon before the Austrians crossed 
the Ticino. The essential points of this capitulation were : — 
That Charles Albert should resign the crown and throne in 
favor of his eldest son, Vittore Emanuele, the present king of 
Sardinia ; that Radeczky should occupy the province of Novara, 
and the fortress of Alexandria, till the expenses of war, amount- 
ing to eighty millions of francs, should be paid by Piedraonte, 
the Austrian troops naturally being to be paid by the people 
of Piedmonte*. That the person of Baron Splenyi, also the 
Hungarian, Polish and Lombard Legions should be surrender- 
ed to Austria, etc. 

As soon as I had this intelligence I started to join Baron 
Splenyi, and inform him how matters stood. He received the 
news with the single remark, that he would rather die a hun- 
dred times than sign such an infamous covenant, and he gave 
me the order to start for Nizza Maritimaf , where the Hunga- 
rian Legion was stationed, and urge them to cut their way 
into French territory. But alas! I arrived too late. They 
were already disarmed and on their march to Novara. 

At this intelligence I was stupefied, being unable to find out 
how my countrymen could resolve to go to Novara, which was 
occupied by the Austrians. I had no time to lose, but mount- 
ed a young horse, and after five hours of gallop, overtook my 
disarmed brothers. Scarcely were they aware that the Austri- 
ans were in reality at Novara and that we at our entrance 
would be welcomed by their hangmen, when they uttered a 
unanimous oath to die rather than to go to Novara. The peo- 
ple of RivieraJ were very much excited. Genoa revolted 
against the infamous agreement, while our arrest would natu- 



* To exhaust the financial means of the Piedmontese people who were 60 nobly 
disposed in behalf of their Lombard brethren — as my brother captain said. 

t A port on the Mediterranean, near the French frontier. 

X Thus is termed the shore of the Mediterranean from Nizza Maritima to Genoa 
or Chivaeri— a beautiful landscape. 



THE BATTLE OF SOVARA. 99 

rally give vent to the volcano -which was fermenting in the 
bosoms of the people. 

Be it said without self-flattery, I belong not to the class of 
men who in spite of their consciousness give up their right to 
the first adverse circumstances. So in the present case I said 
to the captain, that his sacred duty was either to die with us, 
like the Spartans at Termopylse, in attempting to cut our way 
out of Piedmont, or succeeding to lead us to Rome, Yenice or 
Hungary, where the cause of freedom was yet not bartered 
away. And accordingly the whole Legion swore to live and 
die together. 

I knew that the best way to elude a treason is to do it by a 
counter treason. So I advised my countrymen to keep quiet, 
and to advance noiselessly on our way toward Novara; leaving 
the Goverumant in the happy thought that we, uncon- 
scious of our position, were going into the jaws of the danger 
prepared for us. The people made every effort to persuade us 
that at No vara were the Austrian s. But we apparently refu- 
sed to believe it, and marched on from town to town in the 
hope that in one of these maritime cities we might find a cap- 
tain of some vessel, and embark for Rome or for Yenice. — 
But shame ! Eternal shame to the Government. The captains 
secretly informed us that they were strictly prohibited to em- 
bark us. So we arrived without success at the last maritime 
station, a city called Savona, from which Novara was yet about 
sixty miles distant. 

The people, supposing in fact that we were going to Novara 
not only despised us, but declared us to be Austrian sattelites, 
and come by the order of Gen. Radeczky into their country ; 
or to be cowards. In short they had every kind of evil notion 
in regard to us. But there was nobody to take up arms, or 
arm us and en masse to march to the rear of Gen. LaMarmora, 
who was bombarding Genoa. 

Arriving at Savona, we saw plainly that there was no other 



100 THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 

way to escape the snare which was set for us by the loyal Gov- 
ernment of Piedmont, than to come out sincerely and decidedly. 
So we, three officers, three under-officers and three privates, 
presented ourselves to the superintendent of the city, and de- 
clared sincerely that we were well aware of the treason by 
which the government intended to bring us to the gallows — 
that we would stir not a step further toward Novara, and that 
we should resist every order or violent measure taken to force us. 
The superintendent was not a little surprised at our declaration. 
I could say, without overstepping the truth, that he was invol- 
ved in the greatest perplexity as to what measure was to be 
taken with us. And, indeed, his position was no less critical 
than our own, for should he use force, we w«re in all two hun- 
dred, and should undoubtedly be assisted by the people when 
they knew how the matter stood with us. This would be 
enough to spread through the whole territory of Piedmont the 
flames of a new revolution. But I thought the Government, 
although the basest in the world, and ready to perpetrate what- 
ever villainy in secret, could not openly use force against us; 
because this would have made its treacherous conduct plain and 
undoubted. 

As the people became aware of our position, they embraced 
us a second time as their brothers, and assisted us in every way. 
Of which the most significant act was, that we, in part at our 
own expense, in part by the assistance of the people, armed 
ourselves. 

The superintendent seeing the serious condition of affairs, 
requested us to remain quiet. He said that he would relate 
the matter to the ministry at Turin, and promised to use his 
whole capacity to make the answer favorable to us. I trusted 
very little, if any, to the men employed in the business of Mon- 
archy, but as there was no alternative but to wait, we waited. 
Also wrote to Gen. Avezzana, at Genoa, requesting him to send 
for us a steamboat. But no answer nor steamboat came. 



THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 101 

There cannot now be the slightest shadow of doubt that 
Charles Albert acted in accordance with Gen. Radeczky. But 
he is dead, and stands now before the eternal Judge, who shall 
judge him according to His infinite wisdom. 

Gen Marmora, on the charge of disobeying the order, having 
been found guilty of high treason by the Martial law of Pied- 
monte, was shot . He died manfully, himself giving the com- 
mand to fire. People said that he was shot because he was 
republican in his views — and I do not doubt that . 

After eight days an answer arrived from the ministry, by 
which we were allowed to march into French territory, and so 
we set out returning by the same way we came. 

As we knew not how the French government would re- 
ceive us, Captain Tiirr was very anxious to go by diligence to 
Paris, and there consult our Ambassador, Count Ladislaus Tel- 
eky. Consequently to command the legion now became my 
duty. Baron Splenyi had given me the rank of first lieutenant, 
in the same legion. He started in the beginning of the month 
of May, and we smoking our cigars happily arrived at Vintim- 
iglia, that is at the last station towards the frontier of France^ 
Here I received an order from the Colonel commander of the 
fortress, by which I was ordered to divide the legion into sec- 
tions, consisting of twenty men each, and subsequently on every 
day to let one of them start to cross the frontier. But as the 
reader will remember, we were bound by an unanimous oath 
to live or die together. So I communicated this order to my 
countrymen, and asked them what was their will. They an- 
swered at once to remain faithful to our pledge. And I con- 
sented. For I felt that there are circumstances when the offi- 
cer must yield his own will to the unanimous will of his soldiers. 
Though if they had asked me what was my own opinion, I 
should hare said, we ought to obey the order; for I knew that 
passing the frontier in a body of two hundred would make the 
French Government uneasy, and we should be entirely disper- 
sed. While twenty by twenty, we could pass in silence, 



102 THE BATTLE OF NO VARA. 

without awaking the suspicion of the Government, and join at 
Marseilles, where I intended to embark. But we were bound 
by oath, and I could not disobey the will of my countrymen, 
who remained faithful to it, after I had explained to them what 
I have stated above. 

On the following morning I was in the act of leaving the 
city with the whole body of the legion, when a corporal of 
gens d'arms requested me to go with him to the commander. 
I guessed that there would be some little dispute with him, and 
requested my lieutenant Balogh to come with me. As we 
entered the ante chamber of the commander, we found some 
twenty of the gens d'arms, an officer of whom courteously 
opened the door leading into the commander's cabin. No 
sooner had he perceived us, than he sprang on his feet, ad van- 
ced toward us with an air as if to eat us up, and cried : 

" Why have you not obeyed my order ?" 

" Because you are not my commandant, sir," replied I coolly 

" What ! It is not I, but the ministry who ordered you to 
divide your legion into sections, and so let them pass during 
the night." 

" Nor is the ministry my ministry, sir. " 

"Well, well; you shall pay dearly for this disobedience. I 
will teach you to obey the orders of superiors," said he, with a 
menacing pathos, which was empty as a soap bubble. " Well, 
what can you say for your excuse ?" said he, in a tone a little 
more kindly modulated. " What can you say ? Tell me." 

" Nothing for an excuse, sir, because I do not need , to, 
being not guilty. And as to dear payment, I assure you that 
I am not able to pay cheaply, much less dearly. Because the 
Government withholds my payment, contenting me with three 
sous per mile for what I walk daily. And as to disobedience 
to superiors — " 

"Enough! enough! broke out the storm which gathered 



r THE BATTLE OF NO VARA. 103 

itself more and more on his forehead during my laconic speech. 
He continued, " What ! what to your superiors ?" 

" I have always obeyed them, sir," contined I, " providing 
they were worthy to be my superiors. But I never obeyed 
and never shall obey traitors to their own country," added I. 

11 0, corpo di Bacco ! what language !" exclaimed he. — 
" Captain Jualta! Captain Jualta!" Here entered the captain. 
" Please take charge of the first lieutenant," said he, pointing 
to me, and saying, " Your sword ?" 

" Here sir !" said I, loosing it from my side and handing it 
to him. 

" Well, that is right. That is order. That is subordination. 
Well, will you go in company with this captain, or shall I 
order an escort, in case you intend to resist ?" said he. 

" Never mind," said I, ironically, " Do not trouble your 
soldiers on my account. They had hard fighting at Novara, 
and no wonder if they are tired. I will go without them, or 
even without this officer, only inform me where is the place 
whither I am bound." 

44 Well," said he, " your word of honor ?" 

" You have it." 

" Well, now you may go," said he, afterwards addressing 
the captain with glances significant enough to be understood, 
" Tell the keeper that he may allow the officer to promenade 
in the yard or garden, and give him a comfortable room also, 
to suit his wishes, because he is my guest now. " 

" Very much obliged to you," said I, in an ironical tone, and 
with the same bow. " I will not wish your keeper to set me 
free, for fear that you would attribute to me the result which 
shall be caused by my arrest." 

" What result ? What caused ?" asked he. 

" You shall see ;" answered I. 

" I shall see nothing. I wish to see nothing. Begone, that 
is all ;" said the colonel, imperatively. 

I turned to my friend Balogh, who stood in a corner speech- 



104 THE BATTLE OF NOVAFA." 

less and motionless like a statue, watching what would be the 
issue. Taking him by his hand I said to him, perhaps with a 
little more sensibility than I describe it now, for to depart from 
him and from the legion was indeed painful to me. " Now 
you will remain alone. Take care of our countrymen. You 
art now their father, brother, mentor and all. God bless you. 
Do not forget me." 

He convulsively pressed my hand, and in his dark eye a 
tear sparkled, and afterwards loosing off his sword, he threw it 
violently at the feet of the colonel, saying, " Here, take this 
too. Where my friend goes I shall go, and thither shall come 
every Hungarian." 

The colonel was so much surprised that his physiognomy 
became a mere interrogation sign, looking alternately on me, 
on Balogh and on the officer, whom he ordered to stop. 

"This is terrible!" exclaimed he at last. Both of you offi- 
cers, who served long in the well-subordinated army of the Aus- 
trians, and yet so insubordinate." 

" Too subordinate, sir," corrected I the colonel. " You have 
ordered only one to prison, and there are two hundred more 
all ready to go." 

"Well," said he, " My intention was only to admonish you 
a little by the arrest of a couple of hours for the disobedience 
you have committed against my express order. But now I see 
that with you there is nothing to do. Here is your sword. I 
would not be your superior officer " 

" Nor I your subaltern, sir," interrupted I, " for the glorious 
crown of Piedmonte." 

" Keep your tongue," ordered he, " and begone ! I report 
the matter to Turin, and you shall wait for the answer. " 

" I wait not a minute more ;" said I, leaving the room and 
the colonel. 

On my way a letter was handed to me, and after breaking 
the seal I read as follows : 



THE BATTLE OF NO VARA. 105 

Paris, May 10th, 1849. 
My Dear Bardy: — ■ 

I found our Ambassador, Count Teleky. 
Explained to him our situation. He did everything in his 
power to secure for us an embarkation at Marseilles, but in 
spite of his efforts it is not guaranteed to him by the Govern- 
ment. Things look very gloomy. The advice of our Ambas- 
sador, also my own, is to let the legion pass into the French, 
territory in sections, twenty men in each section ; and that they 
successively should proceed to Marseilles, where we shall join 
each other and I hope to embark for Constantinople, under 
some pretext, or all incognito. Inform our countrymen that if 
they pass in a body into the French territory the Government 
will not allow them to proceed, and they will be divided; if 
not by other means, by the use of gens d'arms, for the French 
Government has no treaties with Hungary. 

Yours, STEPHEN TURR. 

I communicated this letter to my countrymen, who after 
s ome discussion consented to start successively, one every day. 
The first moved under Lt. Balogh. I intended to remain with 
the last. The commander, knowing not what was the reason 
of my conduct, highly praised it. Even his dignity conde- 
scended so far as to invite me to dine with him, which I de- 
clined, saying simply, " I am a Hungarian, and as such I 
should lose my whole appetite by sitting down to a table, next 
to one of the traitors." The Italians who heard this, my mes- 
sage, were surprised at my temerity, although it was not temer- 
ity, but only sincerity. 

I remarked above that the province of Novara, as also the 
fortress of Alexandria, was occupied by the Austrians. Am©ng 
them was a Hungarian battalion, from which very naturally, 
every one who had a chance, deserted. They passed generally 
in peasant's garments, and so succeeded to evade the eyes of 
the gens d'arms. But on the day previous to my intended de- 



106 THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 

parture, six of them were arrested by gens d'arras and lodged 
in jail. I waited on the commander of the palace, who as the 
reader may well imagine, received me not with the greatest 
cordiality. After my message I requested him to release my 
countrymen ; but it was denied, on the ground that the capitu- 
lation of No vara annulled the agreement with Hungary. I left 
the colonel and consulted my countrymen. They unanimously 
answered that we ought to liberate them. We were now ©nly 
forty-six, while in the city was a squadron of cavalry and some 
twenty or thirty gens d'arms. But we might count on the 
assistance of the people, who with deepest indignation wit- 
nessed the treatment on the part of the Government. They 
now knew well, that we in defiance of danger and death had 
left the Austrian flag and come to battle for their cause, and 
that the sad event of No vara did not check us. When they 
became aware of our intention to liberate our countrymen, they 
joined us instantly in hundreds; and the colonel being informed 
of what was going on, magnanimously (?) released my coun. 
trymen. 

When this scene was over I entered a coffee house to take 
some refreshment. The coffee house, as usual in Italy, was 
filled with people of both sexes. A young man of athletic ro- 
bustness and stature accosted me there, and tendering his hand, 
said in an affecting and exasperated tone, " Brother Hungari- 
an, I go with you. I go to revenge the death of my mother 
the best among mothers — of my father , the most respected as 
an Italian — of my sisters, the kindest beings among their an- 
gelic sex — of my brethren, who both died as become Italians. 
I go because I hear the voice of that blood of my family, cry 
to heaven for vengeance. I must obey it." 

"Who are you, sir?" I asked the unhappy young man, 
whose deranged countenance showed the first symptoms of ap- 
proaching insanity. 

"lama Novarese," said he, sadly. 

" Your name ?" 



THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 107 

«« Nicola Selvagni." 

" And your family murdered ?" 

" Murdered ! Yes, murdered sir, and murdered by the hands 
of my own brothers. By the Piedmontese officers. Hah ! — 
But never mind 2 There remains yet this bitter heart, and I 
will tear it out from my bosom and give it to the murderers ! 
I am sure they shall die if they taste it, and they shall eat it ! 
For they are more voracious of human blood than the rhinoce- 
ros ; and then I shall laugh as they now laugh at my misery !" 
These words were uttered with tones as vivid as the thought 
itself w r as; and it was impossible not to feel and see that they 
came from the deepest depths of the bottomless human heart, 
while his countenance too much resembled a day, when at the 
same moment the sun shines brightly and heavy rain drops fall. 
And he continued with the same tone, " Is it not true that if 
you ever go into your country, you will not say that all the 
Italians are cowards, poltroons and Godless creatures ? You 
will say that not the Austrians fought and beat the Italians 
but their own King, their own blood, Charles Albert did it. 
And not with cannons ! No! By Diana! But by treason! by 
the most infamous treason ! Look you there !" said he, point- 
ing to a table where some five or six officers enjoyed their cards 
and Asti vine. " They are the villains ! They are the cow- 
ards ! They, who are covered with the garments of heroism, 
they fled before the Austrians. They assassinated their breth- 
ren." 

This truthful utterance of the unfortunato young man was 
interrupted by one of the officers, who asked, with a face 
attempting to express all the severity and authority that lodged 
in his frail body, " Who are you V 

" I am an Italian, and as such your victim ! Coward!" an- 
swered he, putting his right hand in his bosom, which indicates 
a poniard, among the Italians. 

The officer uttered a terrible execration; — drew his sivord, 
also the Italian his poniard. I could not see this inequality in 



108 THE BATTLE OF NOVAKA. 

the fighting, and sprang between them and said to the officer, 
Sir ! This man is not armed as you are. To attack him will 
be from you a villainy, a cowardice. But if you are absolutely 
determined to fight, I am at your service. The cause of this 
man is my cause ; and now, if you please." I touched the 
hilt of my sword. 

The officer looked on me sternly, and afterwards on the Ital- 
ian, saying to him : " You may for once now thank this officer , 
but I will not miss you;" and addressing me in a low tone, 
" You will be so kind as to wait for my second, who shall come 
in less than an hour." 

" What is the time ?" cried I to the waiting boys, 

" Just five !" replied at once at least thirty voices from the 
people. 

" Well," said I in the same low tone, " I shall wait till six 
here." I resumed my place and the officer rejoined his party, 
which in a few minutes afterwards left the saloon. 

Before a quarter of an hour had elapsed, the commander 
whom I have already introduced to my readers, entered the 
coffee house in a hurried manner and with an agitated face, 
and said to me, " Sir! you shall follow me." 

" Not now, colonel," said I, standing up from my seat, not 
to commit a fault against the military etiquette. 

" Why ? Why not now ?" asked he, more excited. 

" Because I am obliged to wait here till six o'clock, and af- 
terwards I may be at your service." 

"Ah! oh! I understand you. And now I command you 
to come with me," said he, in a tone of authority. 

" And I repeat, not now, colonel," said I, imitating my for- 
mer tone. 

"What, you disobey a second time, my orders?" exclaimed 
he. And at the same time grasping the hilt of my sword, drew 
it from its scabbard, and ran out with it from the coffee house. — 
All this was done in a moment, so dexterously that I had no 
time to prevent it. 



THE BATTLE OP NOVARA. 109 

"By Jove!" exclaimed I, throwing the scabbard of the 
robbed sword upon a marble table. " I knew that the Pied- 
montese officers were rascals; but that they are thieves, that I 
had never supposed," The people present were deeply dis- 
gusted. 

In a second the colonel returned at the head of some sixty 
gens d'arms, and gave his orders, " Take him ! Bind him ! He 
is a Croat. Not a Hungarian. 

" Halt !" said I to the advancing gens d'arms, drawing my 
pistols and pointing them at the head and breast of the colonel, 
" If you move, the colonel is dead." 

" What !' exclaimed the colonel, with no little surprise, " Pis- 
tols ! Pocket pistols ! And shorter ones than are allowed by the 
law." 

Some of the people advised my countrymen — who were 
quartered in the next building — of my situation. They were 
men who do not understand trifling, and at once they rushed 
into the coffee house by the back door. Their appearance re- 
sembled tigers, rather than men, as they entered with sparkling 
eyes, while the hair on their uncovered heads stood erect. 

" Stop !" cried I, perceiving them. But they did not obey 
until a corporal named Francis Gaal* sprung towards one of the 
gens d'arms and took out the carabine from his hand, and 
drawing it out by the window, said in the comic tone of laugh- 
ing rage, " Corpo di Diana! We have seen longer carabines 
than yours, yet it did not make us afraid." I attempted now 
to keep my countrymen in order, and cried, " Not a single 
word. Not a movement. If I fall, then let them see over my 
body that you are Hungarians." I knew well that at the first 
pistol shot there would be a sanguinary scene. I was ready to 
meet it, but not to begin. The people, at a respectful distance, 
stood like a wall. The colonel was in the greatest perplexity. 



* Now Corporal in the United States Army, in Texas— a brave soldier. 



110 THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 

" Well, colonel," said I, " The scene is interesting. Let it pro- 
ceed, because the people are waiting." 

At this moment a squadron of hussars entered the coffee 
house, and took position on the right and left of the gens d'- 
arms. Their captain, a respectable, and rather aged man, ad- 
vanced towards me and said, u Brother Hungarian !" 

" Brother here. Brother there," interrupted I. " Keep 
your distance, els© I will shoot you like a dog." 

" He baited, and turning towards the colonel, said : — 

" Colonel, you will ba kind enougb to return the sword of 
this officer." 

" I sent it home ;" said the colonel. 

"Well, you will send for it;" suggested the captain. 

" No, I will not, I can not. " 

" Colonel !" said the oaptain, " remember that you violated 
the law of the officer corps. Is this the way to arrest one of 
your fellow officers ? A stranger who came to battle for our 
cause ?" It was something in his voice beside the modulation 
with which he uttered these swords, that told me the captain 
in reality felt what he said. " Let him have his sword!" said 
he, at last, in an imposing manner. 

"What!" exclaimed the colonel, " Do you dare to interfere 
in my affairs ?" 

" Yes, colonel ! I am forced to stop you in your thoughtless 
and scandalous proceedings. For twenty-two days I have ac- 
companied this officer and his legion, and I wish that our army 
were of equally good behavior. Now colonel, no more words, 
but order your gens d'arms to go on their way. Their duty is 
to arrest brigands, but not officers. " 

The colonel was in the greatest perplexity, and expressed his 
disappointment in such a ridiculous manner that his own gens 
d'arms could not help laughing. At last he started first and 
ordered his satellites to follow him. 



THE BATTLE OP NO VARA. Ill 

The captain now addressed me in broken Hungarian lan- 
guage, saying, " On my word of honor, you shall have your 
sword this very hour. And you shall not be arrested, but 
promise me to remain this evening at your rooms." 

" That is as much as to be confined to my rooms, sir." 

" No, sir," said he, " but it would be only as much as cir- 
cumstances require. But we will speak about this afterwards. 
Let your soldiers go," said he at last. 

" No sir ! We shall not go," replied they at once to my own 
request, by which I advised them to retire to their quarters, 
• You cannot trust the traitors." 

"I am sorry, captain," said I, "but you understand the 
Hungarian language, and you understand the suggestion of my 
countrymen." 

" Sad enough, that I must understand it and not retort, be- 
cause they are right ;" said he. And afterwards turning to 
his squadron, ordered them to go home. While tendering to 
me his arm, he said : " Let me have your arm. I accompany 
you." 

I could not refuse the request, which was made in the voice 
of a melancholy heart. 

"I am old," said he, "and have nothing else to mourn in 
my life but that I have survived this infamy of my country. 
I was once proud to be an Italian — to be a Piedmontese — to 
wear this uniform. Now all this burns with shame on my soul. 
This day is the last that I shall wear this uniform. To-morrow 
I shall lay it down forever." 

The tone of this venerable man was always the same low, sad 
and imposing, without pedantry or pathos, modulated with great 
sensibility. He was entirely the counterpart of the former 
young declaimer, both victims of the same treason. And be- 
sides them were thousands and thousands of others, to read 
whose souls, for they were legible, would have been a most 
instructive school for a close student of human nature and temper. 



112 THE BATTLE OF NO VARA. 

Arrived at my quarters I thankel him heartily for his noble 
sympathy shown towards me in so critical a position as the above. 

" Do not thank me," said he, "I have done my duty. 
Should a similar scene happen to me in Hungary, not merely 
one Hungarian, but all, would be ready to do for me what I 
did for you. I know well the loyal character of your people — 
have spent twelve years among your patriarch ial fathers, and 
this is the evergreen season of my life in my memory. I am 
now old. I can no more fight, but I shall pray the Almighty 
for your struggling nation to come to a happier issue than ours. 
Poor ! poor Italians !" sighed he, pressing warmly my hand, 
and continued, " You understand me, without speaking more, 
and now and forever, God bless you ! I must leave you, and I 
trust you will remember not to go out this evening." 

" I will," said I, " and I do it, captain, to assure you that I 
feel, and am obliged to you with respect and gratitude." 

" I am very glad to hear a young man like you, speak so," 
said he. "And now, once more, God the Almighty bless you, 
and guide you to your fatherland!" 

I must confess I was very much touched by the behavior 
and words of this venerable man, so much so that I forgot to 
ask his name. But no sooner was he out of the door than the 
thought struck me, " You will never more see this good-heart- 
ed old man," and I sprang after him, and overtaking him at 
the top of the stairs, I said, "Captain, you will excuse me if I 
dare to ask for your name ?" 

" Certainly," said he, and drawing his pocket book, wrote 
on a page, " Alfonso Delia Rocca, late Capitano della Oasta 
Cavalleria." 

" And my name is Rudolph Bardy," said I, receiving the 
paper. 

* I know it too well," answered he significantly, and bless- 
ing me cnce more, he left me. 

The reader can hardly have an idea how much more power- 
ful is a blessing when we hear it from the lips of a weather- 



THE BATTLE OF N0VARA. 113 

beaten old soldier, from whom we are already accustomed to 
hear only oaths, execrations and blasphemies. Indeed, I felt I 
had been blessed, when this venerable old soldier left me alone 
to my thoughts. 

The colonel, shortly after the captain left the house, sent my 
sword, and I being infinitely disgusted by the treatment of the 
government and its satellites, moved on my journey with the 
remnant of the legion, to leave, as soon as possible, this soil 
cursed by traitors. 

Arriving at Nizza Maritima, which is only three miles dis- 
tant from the bridge of Varro, which connects the French terri- 
tory with Piedmont, I was requested by an officer to halt my 
section and let them take their dinner, which was ready for 
them, and also to settle and close up our account with the com- 
missioner of war. I assented, and we were conducted into the 
barracks of the gens d' armes, where the commander requested 
me to write the names of my countrymen, also where they were 
born in Hungary, what was the condition of their parents, and 
in what regiment they served in the Austrian army. I asked 
the commander if the other sections which preceded me, had 
done what he requested from me, and the answer being affirm- 
ative, I asked him for the paper, and when it was handed to 
me I found that not a single name was genuine ! I could not 
suppress a hearty laugh on reading this paper, because the 
names were more Hottentot than Hungarian! And since I 
knew well as my predecessors that this list would be transmit- 
ted to Austria, in order to enable them to find a pretext under 
which the poor fathers might be punished by despoiling them 
of their property, I praised not a little the sagacity of my coun- 
trymen, who in such a way were willing to save their families. 
I told the commander that not one of the names was genuine ; 
told him that the Austrian government taught them to evade 
by such tricks the punishments intended for their fathers. 
I said to him laconically, that if he desired to have from me 



114 THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 

the requested list, I would write it in the same manner as my 
countrymen. 

The commander was not a littlo surprised at ray sincerity, 
and not a little vexed by the trick, but endeavored to hide his 
feelings and thoughts, perhaps thinking there would be other 
means of forcing me to give a genuine catalogue of my coun- 
trymen, and of the condition of their parents. 

After this I was requested to go into the office of the com- 
missioner of war and settle our accounts. T assented, and they 
gave me a man clothed in citizen's garments to guide me. We 
arrived nearly at the extremity of the town, when we entered a 
large square building, and mounting the stairs, he pointed to a 
door to enter. Over the door was written, "La caserma del 
gendarmi veterani" — the barracks of the veteran gens d' armes. 
But I had not even the shadow of an idea that I was brought 
here to be arrested, and entered the room. I was not .a little 
surprised when I saw sixteen old gens d' armes, with mounted 
carbines in their hands, and the mayor in full uniform ! He 
said to me on my entrance — 

" Sir, I have the strictest orders to arrest you !" 

At the same time four men sprang forward, two on my right, 
and two on my left side. I saw that at the slightest resistance 
they would overcome me, and not only put me hors du combat, 
but seize the opportunity to give me " not so hardly meant 
blows !" Accordingly I obeyed the order of the mayor, which 
was to give up my sword and pistols — that is to say, I was 
prevented from giving them up, for the gens d' armes were 
very anxious not to let the pistols come into my hands. 

" Well," said the Mayor, pointing to an adjoining room — 
" here is your place. Make yourself at home. Two of the 
gens d' armes shall be at your service." 

"Much obliged for your hospitality," said I, ironically. En- 
tering the room and throwing myself on a sofa, I began to 
smoke; but it was a question not to be easily answered, which 



THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 115 

of the two, my cigar or my bead, smoked more. I was about 
to think of finding some way to liberate myself. I could not 
bear the thought of being separated from my countrymen, and 
of being returned to the Austrians to be hanged. 

I requested the gen d' armes to let me have writing imple- 
ments to write a letter to my countrymen, but it was refused ; 
and he declined, also, to bring up my effects. I saw that they 
intended to keep my arrest secret from my countrymen. Be- 
ing wearied and fatigued, I fell into a deep sleep, and slept 
soundly till dark, little knowing or tormenting myself with the 
thought that when I should awake, a prison and gallows await- 
ed me. 

When I awoke the mayor was the first person I saw, and as 
soon as I was conscious where I was — for my dreams were 
such that when I awoke, for the first minutes I knew not 
whether I was in this or in another world. 

"Sir," said the mayor ; "you will follow this officer, and I 
hope you will make no trouble on the way, for it would only 
render your situation more unpleasant." 

I put on my military cap without a word, and followed the 
officer, who descending the stairs pointed to a covered carriage, 
standing before the door. I obeyed the silent command. En- 
tering the carriage I found two gens d' armes on the opposite 
side, and the officer, taking a place near me, ordered the coach- 
man to drive off. 

I looked at my watch, but it was out of order, and so I asked 
the officer what was the time. 

" Half past eleven," answered he. 

I spoke not a word, but my thoughts were more rapid than 
the pace of the horses which drew the carriage. Among other 
thoughts I remember that my present condition seemed like 
that of a soul, which in stories is carried off by evil angels. 

After half an hour, the carriage stopped before a house, 
which I recognized at first glance, from the iron rails in the 
windows, as a prison. The door opened at a signal given by 



116 THE BATTLE OF N0VARA. 

the officer, and a man more broad than tall, welcomed me with 
the exclamation — 

" In the name of God ! a Hungarian officer !" 

Being conducted up stairs, into the house of the keeper — 
for the short thick man was no other than the keeper — he 
apologized per longum et latum for examining my pockets, as 
it was ordered by the law. I displayed to him the whole con- 
tents of my pockets on the table, to spare him the apology. It 
was some paper, about twenty francs in money, and a packet 
carefully folded and sealed . He examined every article, and 
when he was about to open the packet, I said to him — 

" Take care ! It is poison, deadly poison ! If you breathe 
it you will breakfast with the patron saints of Nizza Maritima!'' 

At these words my good keeper made such a face, that I 
thouo-ht his head would fall out of his mouth ! Indeed, I never 

o 

saw in my life, so monstrous a mouth. It was above the size 
of my military cap, and I was very much inclined to measure 
it, in spite of my melancholy situation. 

" P-o-i-s-o-n ! P-o-i-s-o-n! you said poison!" articulated he, 
at last. "Is it poison?" 

" Yes, sir ; it is poison," said I, " and I am sorry not to let 
you open it — to smell it — to taste it — as your genteel cus- 
tom is," 

He put it aside with every precaution and much horror, and 
said — " Well sir, you may take your money. I wish to fuc- 
nish you with board, as you of course would not be content 
with the ordinary fare of the other prisoners, and you will 
pay for it. The papers, this knife, and this mould for pistol 
balls, also these cartridges, I must retain, but you shall receive 
them on leaving this place, I shall do everything in my pow- 
er to make this place pleasant and comfortable for you." 

" Well," said I, " all I want is, put me into some room with 
another gay fellow. I do not like to be alone. But don't put 
me with some rowdy or assassin." 



THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 11 7 

"Exactly, sir," said lie. "Yon will have very pleasant, in- 
teresting, and if you wish it, instructive company. There is 
Signor Molioja, the best lawyer of our city, Monsieur Pazzerolli, 
the Corsican school-master, with but one eye. He is a clever 
fellow. And there is the Reverend Franchiotti, who said and 
preached that our Lord was a Republican." 

I found it in fact as the keeper had told me. We were all 
four together — that is, a lawyer, clergyman, school-master and 
soldier. All were arrested on the same charge — crimen Usee 
Majestatis — the crime of offending his majesty. I hardly 
need say that this was a beautiful quartette. The conversation 
and the table of our keeper made us forget that we were in 
prison. But I felt deeply, very deeply when I thought of Hun- 
gary and my countrymen. 

On the following day I was conducted before the inquisito- 
rial body, consisting of seven persons. The jury asked my 
name and how old I was. I answered their questions. They 
asked me if I had ever been summoned before a lawful body, 
and if so, how many times, and for what causes. I said to them 
that this was a curious question for me, which I could not an- 
swer. I remembered the fifty lashes. I thought and told them 
sincerely, that if I should answer in the affirmative, they would 
think me to be a greenhorn, who accuses himself when he 
could defend himself. If I said no, they would say that I was 
a practiced villain, who endeavors by every means to excuse 
himself. " But I suppose," continued I, " you are men of ex- 
perience and knowledge, and so you can form for yourselves an 
answer to your question, from my statement that I served six 
years in the Austrian army, with my temper and nature !" 
The jurors, as I perceived, were pleased with my remark. 
" Have you said in public that his Majesty Charles Albert 

and his son Vittore Emanuele are traitors ?" was the second 
question. 

" I have read this in several French and Piedmontese pub- 
lic papers, and may be I repeated what I read. But I was 
never the author of such accusations." 



118 THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 

" Have you said the Piedmontese officers were villains, assas- 
sins — unworthy to breathe the air of the Almighty ?" 

" No, sir," answered I; " I have never yet said it; but now, 
here, and for the first time, and hereafter forever, I say that 
they are! because I saw them run before the Austrians, at the 
head of their battalions with swords in their hands — and if 
such officers are braves and heroes in your opinion, they shall 
never be so in mine, nor in the opinion of the world that wit- 
nesses the events, 

" And you are right," said one of the jurors. 

"Now sir," said the inquisitor, presenting the packet, "what 
is in this packet ?" 

" Arsenic, sir." 

" Do you know that this is arsenic ?" 

" Perfectly well, sir." 

" For what purpose did you have it ?" 

" Well, gentlemen, said I ; " this is another question I can- 
not answer. Look at my papers and you will find that I was 
an agent of the Yenitian Republic, and as such I might want 
it in many instances. But if you ask a physician, he will say 
that this is a kind of poison, by which, if judiciously used, 
horses may be kept in good blood, their skin bright, and their 
spirit warlike, as is the spirit of Hungarian Hussars ! They 
use it, and the horse gradually accustomed to it, may eat with- 
out danger half a spoonful of it." 

They asked the physician about the poison, and he confirmed 
my statement. 

" But gentlemen, continued I, " you know that we, among 
deadly dangers, deserted the Austrian flag, and came to strug- 
gle for your nation's freedom, and we were ready to give our 
blood and life for your cause. Yet your government tried by 
the basest means to lead us back to the Austrians, although 
they were well aware that there our lot would be the gallows. 
We thought this funeral ceremony, intended by your gov- 



THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 119 

eminent for us, might be prevented by the contents of this 
packet." 

Some of the jury hearing my explanation, crossed their fore- 
heads. Afterwards they told me that I was accused by the 
Bishop of Vintimiglia and some other clergymen, of having 
said, in a public Coffee House,* that Charles Albert was a 
traitor. 

" Well, sir," said I ; if you put me in prison for saying that 
Charles Albert is a traitor, although I never said it, you ought 
the more to put in prison every person who does say it ; and I 
guarantee you that your little territory transformed entirely in- 
to a prison, would not be large enough to receive them all." 

They asked me if this was all I could say in my behalf, and 
I answered that this was all ; but I had a request, if in my sit- 
uation, I were allowed to come forward with a request. They 
asked me for it. 

" Be short with me," said I. " Either let me be shot or lib- 
erated as soon as possible. My country is struggling, and I 
cannot bear my situation, which is to starve in prison instead of 
going to the assistance of my threatened nation." 

They promised to proceed as soon as possible, but their pro- 
ceedings were cut short by the people. 

As my countrymen, not seeing me return, began to doubt 
my safety, so their doubt became a belief when an officer or- 
dered them to be ready to march. They asked for me. The 
answer was that I must remain that day and settle the account, 
and that I would join them on the morrow in France. They 
refused to obey. The gens d' armes were bidden to enforce the 
order, and after hard fighting, the leaders being seized and 
ironed, they were escorted among bayonets to the frontier. 
And I perhaps can thank this demonstration for my liberty, 
for the old captain seeing them in irons, asked what was the 
matter, and they informed him, conjuring him in the name of 



Iu Italy the Romish clergy freely frequent the Coffee Houses, 



120 THE BATTLE OF NOVARA. 

all the saints of Italy, to use his influence to liberate me — and 
the worthy old man was moved by their prayers. Not suc- 
ceeding in my liberation by the government, he made an ap- 
peal to the people. 

It was already twenty-eight days that I had been detained, 
and I knew not what would be my fate. The one-eyed Corsi- 
can school master consoled me with the thought that there was 
a great chance to select between the gallows, musket balls, 
guillotine, and galleys ! But he himself preferred to die a la 
Seneca — in a bath ! He and all my companions were more 
courageous to meet their fate. Indeed they declared they would 
die content, if only from the stair of their gallows they could 
proclaim to a great mass of people, that Charles Albert and 
the officiality were traitors ! But I found in that very little 
consolation. 

On the 12th of June, my not-so-high-as-wide keeper, order- 
ed me to go below. I followed him, and found my jurors, one 
of whom said to me, that his Highness Vittore Emanuele, con- 
sidering my youthful age ; my services for the Italian cause ; 
the situation in which I probably found myself, far from my 
struggling fatherland; also my nationality, by his inborn kind- 
ness, overlooked my crime, and set me at liberty, and ordered 
300 francs from the chest of war, as a reward for my services, 
and for expenses to depart where I wished. 

I bowed without a word, knowing not from what quarter 
this favorable sentence came, because my faith in the kindness 
and humanity of kings was too much destroyed to attribute this 
justice to their righteousness. 

" Are you not glad V asked one of the jurors, seeing that I 
was rather serious, for I was entirely occupied with thinking 
from what quarter this sentence may come. 

" Sir !" said I, " I am not glad so long as I am on your soil, 
for although I see that your juries feel and know, and proceed 
according to justice, yet I see at the same time that there is no 



THE BATTLE OF NO VARA. 121 

freedom. Piedmonte is a prison and I a prisoner while on her 
soil." 

The mystery of my freedom was soon solved, for as I came 
out of the prison doors, I saw a crowd of the people who greet- 
ed me with cheers, "Eviva Hungaria — Eviva Gorgey — Long 
live Hungary ! Long live Gorgey ! Buda is in the power of 
the Hungarians." And they carried me off with so many con- 
gratulations and compliments, that I was ashamed of it. 

At last I learned from Professor Blancardi, that the old Cap- 
tain was the one who informed the people of my arrest, and 
who stimulated them by every means to liberate me. After 
his efforts were thwarted by the government, the people controll- 
ed my fate, till the news lately received from Hungary encour- 
aged them to turn out and demand my release, or else to raise 
the prison. I looked for my old worthy Captain, but never 
found him. 1 shall wear his image in the centre of my heart 
till I die. 

Signor Delia Valle, a worthy citizen of Nizza Maritima, also 
superintendent of the deeds department, received me into his 
house as his guest. He was so deeply disgusted with the gov- 
ernment, in whose employ he held a lucrative office, that he de- 
termined to leave Piedmonte and sail for the United States, as 
he did in the month of August of the same year. He was 
bound for New Orleans. If some one of my readers perchaace 
is acquainted with him, and will inform me where he lives, I 
should be infinitely obliged, as all my efforts for this purpose 
have failed. But if I never meet him again, these lines may 
serve as a token of my sincere and everlasting gratitude towards 
him. 

8 



KOSSUTH 



" For he fled — indignant fled, 
When treason blurred his country's fame — 
# # # * * 

While every tear her children shed, 
Fell on his soul like drops of flame.' ' 



While the people of Piedmonte greeted me with most en- 
thusiastic and hearty cheers, which were dear to me, not be- 
cause they flattered my vanity, but because it was an evident 
indication and testimonial of their love of freedom, of their 
sympathy for my struggling fatherland. The superintendent 
summoned me to come to himself. Doing so, 1 found the 
same gentleman, who some days before was the superintendent 
of the city of Savona, and who behaved so humanely towards 
us. ** I am very sorry for you" said he, as I presented myself, 
" I saw in Savona, that you, with your temper, would hardly 
leave this kingdom without some difficulty — you are too sincere, 
and it is a great pity that we live in an epoch when people are 
accustomed to disparage truth and misrepresent sinceiity; but 
I am glad that the matter terminated as it did. Now my dear 
sir, I must advise you to leave Piedmonte as soon as possible, 
— believe me, some people look on you with no very favorable 
eyes. You can have the money by addressing the military 
treasurer. There is your passport directed for Marseilles, where 
you may embark for Constantinople, and from thence to Hun- 
gary as you intend." I received the passport but not the money, 



KOSSUTH. 123 

being informed by the citizens that if I would not touch a 
farthing of their infamous government money, they would pro- 
vide for me. After thanking the humane superintendent I 
left him. 

The same day, a sergeant named Mihalovits of trie legion, 
returned from France, and with lamentations related that the 
sections which had passed into French territory were forced to 
enter service dans la legion etr 'anger, (in the legion of strangers) 
and embark for Africa, to fight against the Bedouin. But 
having refused this liberal request of the French Republic, they 
were sent to prison, and compelled by hunger and by thirst to 
obey, but they still refused in spite of starvation, with which 
they were threatened. 

Miserable government of the French Republic ! Had it not 
learned for centuries that Hungarians cannot be soldiers, 
nor fight, but in the cause of freedom ? 

The sergeant also related how he succeeded to escape. I 
procured for him a passport, and wished him to return with 
me, but it was no easy task to persuade him. ^^ had a horri- 
ble remembrance of the three days' hunger ai^p?irst. 

On the 15th of June, at early morning, we arrived by dili- 
gence at the French territory, separated only by the bridge of 
Varro, built on a river's bed about two miles wide. The chan- 
nel is filled only by occassional rains, and by water falling 
down from the adjacent mountains. There it empties into the 
Mediterranean. 

At the watch house, the diligence stopped, and we passen- 
gers were summoned to descend and present ourselves, and our 
papers in the office, over whose doors was written, " Egalite, 
Liberte, FraterniteP 

The commissioner looked curiously npon my Hungarian uni- 
form, when I presented myself, and our passports. 

" You are a Hungarian officer ?" asked he. 

" At your service," was the reply. 



124 KOSSUTH. 

" I can not let you pass into our territory unless you bind 
yourself to serve in the legion of strangers." 

" Will you make me general V* asked I. 

" No sir," replied he, u but you may retain your present 
grade, providing that upon examination you shall be found fit 
for it." 

" I am not fit, nor do I wish to be fit sir," answered I, " but 
excuse me if I ask, what is the reason for which you deny me 
entrance ?" 

" Because you are a Hungarian." 

" Are the Hungarian infected by some contagious pestilence 
that they should not be allowed to pass into France ? Or is 
the soil of France a paradise from which the sinful sons of 
Adam are excluded?" 

" No sir ! only we have strict orders not to let them enter. 
What is the reason of this injunction, it is not my business to 
investigate." 

" And you," said I, because I was very much bent on tor- 
menting this |^^)diment of " strict orders" — " you, who know 
that this ordeSRmjust, inhuman and degrading to the honor 
of the French nation — why do you obey such orders? I sup- 
pose that it is your business to search into this." 

" Sir !" said he, " I am not accustomed to hear insult, nor 
shall I suffer it, and if you continue I shall stop it." Saying 
so he pointed to the gens d' arms. 

"I have no doubt sir, that you, being ready to obey such or- 
ders as you do, have no scruples of conscience for using the 
basest means, as you have done with my countrymen. And if 
you are not accustomed to hear insults, you must not expect 
me to tolerate such injustice" 

" Sir I" said he quite seriously, " I shall have no more words 
with you. Here is your passport. Return whence you came." 

" And who shall pay my fare, which I shall now lose ?" asked 
I, only to find matter to torment him, for I observed that the 
passengers present, particularly a good looking gentleman 



KOSSUTH. 125 

among them, were much pleased with my interrogatories and 
remarks, while this miserable hired tool of Luigi Napoleon was 
vexed by this approbation of the passengers. 

" It is not my business" replied he once more. 

" But it is your business, sir, to take down the device — 
" Egalite, Liberie, Fraternite" and write, " The French God- 
dess of Liberty, manufactured on the model of the Russian 
BearP* 

The passengers broke out into a laughter, which was render- 
ed more vexatious to the officer by his attempting to suppress 
it and not succeeding. He lost his patience and was about to 
give orders to gens d' arms to arrest me. My sergeant Miha- 
lovits urged me in an imploring tone not to trifle, because they 
would shut us up to hunger and thirst for three days. I con- 
fess sincerely that I was very much inclined to go on with my 
sword, in spite of the knowledge that at last I should have the 
worst; had it not been before my mind that I was in haste to 
go to Hungary, and had no time to lose in bed, lying under 
wounds. ^^ 

" Do not be too hasty sir!" said I to gensrr arms who ac- 
costed me. 

lt Le votre sabre — (your sword)" ordered he. 

The passengers looked a little more stern when they saw that 
I was about to be arrested. May be, among them was a couple 
of mountaineers, and the officer said, 

" I must arrest you if you continue to insult me, or if you 
persist in remaining on this soil." 

" Don't be alarmed sir !" said I, " I shall be very happy to 
leave the territory where gentlemen of your stamp are to be 
found." So saying, I left the room, for I knew that the next 
sentence would cause my arrest. 

The gentleman whom I remarked above among the passen- 
gers as a good looking man fqjjowed me, and said, ■* young 
man ! I am sorry for you, and sorry that I am not invested 



126 KOSSUTH. 

■with power to do something in your behalf. All I can do is 
to return to you your fare which you have lost in this transac- 
tion. I know well, you are far from your country, and the 
moment may come, when you will need it." Saying this with 
not the best French accent, but evidently with the best heart, 
while shaking hands with me, he left some thing in my hand 
which I felt at first to be money. 

I was not a little embarrassed, for at this time I was totally 
unaccustomed to receive assistance. On the contrary, I was ac- 
customed to give. And not knowing in my perplexity what 
to do, I asked him, " who are you sir ?" 

"I am an American sir!" said he, and immediately sprang 
on the diligence, took a seat near a very fine looking lady and 
rode off. 

Should this book come into the hand of this gentleman, I 
suppose he will be glad to learn my fate, as I too would be very 
glad to know him. 

I hired a chaise and rode back with my sergeant who was 
delighted to finJJiimself beside a good breakfast instead of three 
days' hunger, tor which he was already prepared. 

The superintendent hearing of my return and its cause, kind- 
ly tendered me his hospitality, till in the bay of the city there 
should be an opportunity to embark for Constantinople. I 
thanked him, for I was already engaged by Signor Giovanni 
Battista Approsio, the Notary Public of Vintimiglia, where I 
returned to the great surprise and vexation of the commander, 
wdio robbed my sword, and of the Bishop who so irreligiously 
reported me. 

Notwithstanding the hospitality of Signor Approsio, in find- 
ing different amusements in this rocky country of olives and 
oranges — also his kind wife who exerted all her faculties in 
exhibiting the most exquisite and delicate meals of the Italian 
culinary art, and notwithstanding my sergeant and five new 
comers, lately deserted from the Austrian flag — were highly 



KOSSUTH. 127 

satisfied with our condition ; yet as for myself, every hour seem- 
ed a year, but there was no other alternative than to wait. 

At last we were informed that in the bay of Nizza Maritima, 
there was a vessel about to set sail for Constantinople. I hasten- 
ed to visit the captain, and finding him made arrangements for 
myself and for my countrymen who were now seven in number. 

On the 19th of June, 1849, we embarked on the merchant 
vessel " Maria," Capt. L. Dodero, bound for Odessa, in Russia, 
on the Black Sea, and the same evening we left the free port of 
Nizza Maritima, and the land of Italy for ever. 

And now as we are on the high seas where the time is rather 
long and lonesome, by reason of the frequent calms and slow 
sailing, I will relate a history of by-gone times, in as much as 
it is connected with our present story. 

The reader perhaps has remarked hitherto that my engage- 
ment in the Austrian army was utterly contrary to my princi- 
ples. I entered the army upon the advice of my father, who 
having three sons, disposed of them as follows: The eldest, 
who is my humble self, was destined for military life — the sec- 
ond, for a clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church — the third 
and youngest, to assist him in his agricultural pursuits, which 
he conducted very successfully, and on a large scale. Alas ! 
The Revolution came. The priest was immolated — not on the 
cross as a martyr for his creed — but as a soldier, for the freedom 
of his country ! The farmer died, but not with the death of a 
husbandman on the family bed, among his relations and friends, 
but on the battlefield, with the death of violence ! I, the soldier 
escaped death and survived the dangers; perhaps, mourn and 
remember the death of my brethren. But enough of this. 
My father's will was that I should be a soldier, and in my coun- 
try the son who disobeys the desire or counsel of his father is 
looked upon as if he were a blasphemer of God. 

No sooner had I acquired some knowledge of the purpose 
of a standing army, which is to keep the people and the nation, 



128 KOSSUTH. 

at their own expense, under the yoke and chain ; also to guard, 
preserve, and secure the throne, erected on the oppression of the 
nation. I say, that no sooner was I acquainted with this god- 
less and inhumane destiny of the standing army, than I ab- 
horred, detested and loathed it with my whole heart and soul. 
And so the reader may easily imagine, that the mentors, who 
were my officers — entrusted with the duty of forming me into a 
tool for such an object, not only had a hard task with me, but 
entirely failed in their endeavors. 

"You ought to despise the citizens," said they, "because you 
are an imperial royal cadet, a bright pillar on which the glory 
and greatness of the monarchy stands." 

" I ought to pity the citizens," said I, " who are so unjustly 
deprived of their human and sacred rights, by our own instru- 
mentality. And shame upon myself to be an imperial royal 
cadet, the column on which are built the oppression, misery, 
ignorance and slavery of my fellow citizens! Shame on myself, 
wlao am unconsciously obliged to be a Cain at a single word of 
the Monarchy !" 

" Let the people be ignorant," said they, " in order that they 
may not be able to know their worth, their rights, their power, 
their destiny; and that we may dissipate in luxurious idleness, 
the fruits of the sweat of their brows." 

" Teach the people," said I, " to know themselves, their rights, 
their destiny, their value, and then we shall not tremble for our 
lives, in our slumbers, and the fury of the people, this terrible 
monster, shall be blotted out from the earth. And Kings and 
Dukes, and Queens and Princess shall no more die on lamp- 
posts, and under guillotines." 

" Hold the people in misery," said they, " so that being occu- 
pied with material cares there may remain for them no time to 
think of their souls. " 

Such was the doctrine of my mentors, by which they hoped 
to model me after themselves, but they found that my soul was 



KOSSUTH. 129 

not the place where the seeds of their Jesuitical doctrine could 
find off-shoots and vegetation. No indeed ! For my soul threw 
it back as the marble flings back the pistol ball. 

When I saw it was impossible for me to hold my place, and 
fulfil the duty prescribed to me as a soldier of a monarchical 
army. I wrote to my father praying him to absolve me from 
my condition, but he thought that I was obstinate, disobedient 
and that time would cure these qualities peculiar to youthful 
age. But my good father was mistaken. He who spent all 
his life in a Patriarchal manner, and educated me in the same 
way, knew not the infamous policy and madness of the govern- 
ment. 

When my officers saw that I not only refused to abide by 
the principles of their cursed doctrine, but declared and demon- 
strated it to be the most infamous violation of the divine, hu- 
man and natural law, they became my secret enemies; though 
they feared to tear off the veil from their faces ; for I was pro- 
tected by Baron Csorich, general of the cavalry, and second pro- 
prietor of the regiment, in which I served ; also by the Bishop 
of Temesvar, by name Lonovich.* So they were compelled to 
endure from me many words, hard but just, without daring to 
fulminate against me the lightning of their rage and hate ; so 
common and proper to so base and vile souls as were some of 
these officers. 

As I entered the army, they ordered me to occupy a place 
in the grenadier battalion, stationed at Buda, to honor the 
Palatine, Joseph. I served one year and a half as grenadier 
cadet, but during this time, I acquired knowledge enough to 
understand that the army, educated as it is, is not the strength 
and security of the common welfare ; but a blind instrument to 
crush human rights, the progress of the age, and the freedom 
and happiness of the nation ; — that if the nation asked frr its 
sacred rights, the answer would be our musket balls, and the 



* Sentenced to prison for ton years, for having participated in the revolution. 
8* 



130 KOSSUTH. 

points of our bayonets in the bosoms of our own people. I 
felt now for the first time that I was a Hungarian — I felt that 
man has other duties than to seek his owu promotion by calum- 
niating and illtreating others. I felt that it is a sacred duty of 
every man to warn and advise his fellow citizens of danger 
which is secretly set for them . So I made an appeal to my 
fellow soldiers, and urged them to start a monthly paper to 
counteract the procedure of the government, and declare us to 
be soldiers not of the government, but of the nation ; know- 
ing well that the rights which through our instrumentality were 
suppressed would now be lost even for ourselves ; because grow- 
ing old, we should leave the army and become citizens. The 
appeal had this result, that I was ordered before military au- 
thority, examined, and perhaps I may thank the intervention 
of my parents and relations that it ended with sending me in- 
to Italy. This I considered equivalent to being proscribed 
from my country, notwithstanding that they promoted me to 
the dignity of corporal, and made many high and bright pro- 
mises. They thought that absence from my country would 
obliterate the love of my fatherland, but they were mistaken, 
for absence only augmented it. This is the story how and why 
came I into Italy; how and why I was promoted to the digni- 
ty of a corporal, and not to the rank of a field marshal ! 

During my service in Hungary, I had a friend. Not a part- 
ner, nor an acquaintance, nor a playmate, but a friend. A 
friend such as the great Grecian philosopher defines " one soul 
in two bodies." His name was Augustus Podhajetzky. 

On the 20th of August, 1843, my friend was ordered to go 
to the treasurer's office, and bring the monthly salary of the 
first lieutenant, by name Banyiza, a true Cossack. On his re- 
turn he found neither the first lieutenant, nor any other of the 
officers. So he retained the money in his possession, with in- 
tent to hand it the next day to the owner. But alas ! The 
same evening he went to Pesth, sat down to a card table, and 



KOSSUTH. 131 

after losing his money, lost the salary of the first lieutenant. 
He went home, and among unmistakeable symptoms of dis- 
pair related to me the event. I tried to tranquilize him, pro- 
mised to go on the morrow early to Pesth, where I could ob- 
tain the amount among my acquaintances, and be back with it 
before the fact would be discovered. I knew well that all my 
acquaintances, it being summer, were in the villages, but I 
thought I could sell my watch and ring, and could thus save 
him from running the gauntlet, which would be his punish- 
ment. I rose early in the morning, left my young friend in a 
sound sleep ; started for Pesth, sold for half price the watch 
and the ring, and saw with no little trouble that the sum receiv- 
ed for it was too small by ten dollars. The time already was 
about nine o'clock. I had only one hour more, for at ten, the 
daily report was to be made. I w T as in the greatest perplexity 
to find the balance, and in my anguish I passed the house 
where Louis Kossuth, editor of the " Pesti Hirlap," had his of- 
fice. The thought struck me. "If Kossuth will not help me, 
there is no man who will ;" I mounted the stairs, found in the 
ante-chamber a hussar, and requested him to announce me, 
u We do not announce," said he, " but if you please enter;" I 
opened the door and entered the room where I found Kossuth 
at his table among a heap of foreign papers. "Mr. Editor!" 
said I, " I come to you with a strange request, which can be ex- 
cused only by the circumstances under which I am compelled 
to make it to you. I lost yesterday evening at cards the month- 
ly salary of my first lieutenant. All my acquaintances are out 
of town. The bankers or Jews, do not trust me, being a soldier, 
and if I can not get the money by ten o'clock, as you know, I 
shall be degraded and sentenced to run the gauntlet. And if 
you do not give it to me, I have no other possibility of getting 
it in time. I pledge my honor to return it to you, as soon as 
I can get an answer from home." 

" What is the monthly salary of your lieutenant f* asked he, 
surveying my whole length, as I stood erect. 



132 KOSSUTH. 

" Thirty-eight dollars" said I, " but I want only ten more, 
having raised twenty-eight by selling my watch and ring." 

" Well!" said he, "I will give you this ten dollars — not to 
be returned, but as a present, if you will promise me on your 
honor not to play any more for money." 

I was in a little perplexity at this condition, for as the reader 
knows, I had not myself lost the money, and I only said so for 
the sake of brevity. But my good genius assisted me, and I said, 

"Why Mr. Editor! If I make the promise here to you, you 
will not look after me, nor set spies to watch me, and I without 
impunity might break the promise, committing at the same 
time a double fault — that of playing, and violating my word of 
honor. "While you may think that I make the promise only 
for the purpose of obtaining from you the money as a present." 

" Well !" said he, " your sincerity pleases me, and while I 
should deeply regret it, if the fatal vice of gambling should al- 
ready be so deeply inwrought in the character of your youth- 
ful life, that there is no possibility of eradicating it. I cannot 
deny you now for once, the sum requested. But should you 
come again I would be the person to report you. Gambling is 
often the mother of every evil of a man's life. Remember this. 
What is your name ?" 

I told my name. He took his pocket book, noted my name, 
and gave me the money, asking " when will you reimburse it V 1 

"As soon as I receive it from my parents." 

"Well! we shall see" said he resuming his work. I thank- 
ed him, and with unspeakable joy hastened to the barracks, for 
it was already nearly ten. When I arrived in the yard of the 
barracks I found the officers and grenadiers who had something 
to request of the Captain. 

The report was over and the first lieutenant asked the ser- 
geant for corporal Podhajetzky. 

But Podhajetzky was not to be found. 

" This beast" (diese bestia) said the first lieutenant, " probably 



KOSSUTH. 133 

deserted with my honorary. He ought to have handed it to 
me yesterday, and now he is not to be found.'' 

" If he has deserted," said I, " he deserted without the hon- 
orary. Here it is. He gave it to me to be handed to you my 
lord first lieutenant," and I handed him the money. 

" This is not enough," said the Captain, " But he is absent 
from the hoar of the * holy report.' Sergeant ! send guards and 
grenadiers around town in search of him, and if he be found 
bring him here, and do you keep him under arrest. I will 
teach him not to fail at the hour of the ' holy report.' I am 
Captain of this company," concluded he, boasting of himself. 

About four o'clock in the afternoon, my friend was brought 
into the barracks, but dead! 

Unhappy fellow ! He had too little faith in me, and the 
thought of running the gauntlet made him desperate. He 
drowned himself in the Danube! 

The first lieutenant was shot and died in the city of Reggio 
in 1848, at the hands of the insurgent people. 

Peace to their ashes ! 

I saw Kossuth once more when I returned him the money. 
He asked me if I continued to play, and when I said " no," he 
took ray hand, gave some brief but earnest warnings, about the 
temptations, to which young men so easily yield and become 
slaves before they were aware. He added that the greatest 
victory is to overcome one's own faults. He asked how much 
money I had received from home, and how much I had to pay, 
also how much I had monthly from my father. Answering 
his questions he found that I was left without a farthing for 
one month, and though I was unwilling to accept it, he so cor- 
dially offered me half of the ten dollars that I could not refuse. 

Six long years have sunk into the bottomless gulf of the 
past, since this scene. During this time he wrought miracles; 
for is it not a miracle to persuade the nobility of a nation to give 
up voluntarily their privileges, to elevate the people to the rank 



134 KOSSUTH. 

of citizens, and to descend from the haughty sphere of aristo- 
cracy to the same rank? Is it not a miracle that when 
the Austrian government opposed this generosity and humanity 
of the Hungarian nobility, and sent their armies and the hordes 
of seven nations to suppress their truly noble and christian will, 
this nobility leaped on horseback and rode at the head of ar- 
mies to fight, to bleed, to die for their people? Indeed! no na- 
tion, no man in the world ever displayed more generosity and 
humanity than the nobles of Hungary, who fought and died not 
for their own interest, but entirely and literally for the people. 
Indeed it was a miracle, or at least a fact not to be found else- 
where in the world's history. Would it not be a miracle if 
somebody should persuade the slaveholders of America to 
emancipate their slaves, and when it should be opposed by the 
government with military forces, the slaveholders should 
be the first to fight, to bleed and to die for the emancipation 
of their slaves ? Indeed it were a miracle, and Kossuth per- 
formed such a work. For although Francis Joseph, the Em- 
peror of Austria, has recently given the people the right to 
possess their land without incumbrances due formerly to their 
landlords,* this act came not from the generous kindness of the 
young lion. But this is the merit of Kossuth's many sleepless 
nights, toiling for it harder and with more risk than the miner, 
over whose head rocks are hanging, and every moment threat- 
ening to bury him forever. This is the fruit of the thousands 
and thousands of heroic deaths of my countrymen, of the 
Hungarian nobles, and not the work of Metternich or Francis 
Joseph. 

But enough ! while Kossuth was achieving his wonderful 
deeds, I escaped some dangers almost miraculously; and while 
he was at Debretzen, occupied with the great task of finishing 
his mighty work, I was on the smooth waves of the Mediter- 
ranean bringing him sad news from Italy. 



* la reality there is no change, for what the landlord lost the government gain- 
ed, — for the tax after revolution was four or five times heavier than before. 



KOSSUTH. 135 

In thirty days we entered the Dardanellas, and the following 
day we came into the magnificent harbor of Constantinople. 
My first care was to inquire for the Hungarian Ambassador, if 
there were any. After many and tiresome inquiries, we found 
him in the company of an English colonel, whose name was 
Brown, at his own residence at Bebek. The ambassador — 
Count Julius Andrassy by name, a handsome man, but rather 
young and too good-hearted for the cunning duties of an am- 
bassador at Constantinople — said that the Porte was in an 
awful position. He dared not face Russia and declare himself 
openly for Hungary, and recognise him frankly for an ambassa- 
dor. He gave us the necessary instructions and money to go 
to Hungary, which he said was not so easy a task as we thought 
it to be, having before us a part of Servia, whose inhabitants 
were inexorable enemies of the Hungarians — giving us some 
warnings to look out for ourselves so as not to be arrested , as 
many of our countrymen were. 

We had Piedmontese passports in which was clearly stated 
who we were, but Baron Tecco, the Piedmontese Ambassador, 
was kind enough to exchange these passports for new ones, in 
which we were described as Italian musicians, though no one 
of us played any instrument. 

Providing ourselves with arms, on the 28th day of July, 
1849, we left Constantinople, without seeing the Grand Turk. 
Our train consisted now of nine persons, for two of our country- 
men joined our party at Constantinople. We marched during 
the hottest parts of the months of July and August, ten hours 
per day, being informed that by such exertions we should reach 
the frontier of our struggling and blood-covered fatherland, in 
twenty-six days. But now and then exhausted of our strength 
by the toilsome march, we hired horses or carriages for a little 

relief. 

I think the reader will be better satisfied, if instead of pictures 
of the dry, ill-cultivated, though fine landscapes, through which 
our path led us, I shall give a short description of the manners 



136 KOSSUTH. 

and customs of the Turks, who just now are on the eve of their 
extinction as a nation in Europe. 

The Turks are very humane to strangers, especially to trav- 
elers. They provide the voyagers with lodgings, meals, coffee, 
and pipes — csibuh. These things are served up in their own 
peculiar manner, which is not only inconvenient, but among 
other people would be considered indecent; but such is the 
leading; do^ma of their Koran. 

Before entering the house of a Turk, the boots must be taken 
off. Whoever should enter with boots on, would be guilty of 
a higher crime than if he had entered the room of some polite 
stranger with his hat on his head; for this is the commandment 
of the Koran, and the Turk would not only look sternly, but 
point to the door and order him to observe the precept of his 
religion. 

In the house there is nothing, except on the floor a carpet ; 
or among poorer people straw is substituted for this, laid down 
in sheets; and a sofa about one foot high. If you do not take 
a seat on this which is called in the Turkish lano-uao-e — Divan 
— he cordially invites you to sit down — otuer Effendim — sit 
down, my Lord. And if you do not cross your legs, in such a 
way as to sit on your heels, he remarks that you do not under- 
stand the comfort and pleasure of sitting. After you have 
located yourself and waited in silence some two or three minutes, 
and do not salute the others, addressing every man distinctly, 
" Merhaba" he will remark that you are a greenhorn or an 
enemy of Islaism. Then comes the pipe filled with best to- 
bacco he has in his house, with a burning coal of fire on it, and 
last the coffee without sugar or milk, but with the thick flour 
of coffee-seed. Indeed, it is a point not very easy to decide, 
whether the Turks eat or drink their coffee! All this shall be 
handed with " merkaba" God help you. Now comes the 
breakfast or dinner; for they take meals only twice a day — 
in the morning and evening at six o'clock, the beginning and 
end of day and night, and the length of twelve hours by their 
alendar. 



KOSSUTH. 137 

They have no tables, but a kind of wood, somewhat similar 
to the wooden block, on which the hatter irons the hat. This 
is put on the floor, before the Divan. The lower part is 
only of sufficient diameter to sustain it> while the upper part is 
loaded with plates, in which meals of most opposite nature are 
to be found, entirely cool, sometimes frozen. Having no forks, 
nor knives, you are compelled to use your fingers ; and if six 
or eight persons sit round a table they all partake from the 
same plate. Before and after dinner water is brought, and a 
clean, though not very fine towel to wash and wipe the hands. 

The Turk is rather inclined to leisure, though he does not 
neglect to work or to earn in summer so much, as he and his 
family shall want in winter. He realizes the Latin proverb : 
u JSFatura paucis contenta." They drink no wine, nor other 
spirituous liquor — eat no pork. They never treat their beasts 
or cattle ill. Indeed, they are more Christian towards dogs, 
than Francis Joseph and its satellites towards Hungarians ! Be- 
cause, though no dog has an owner, yet it is a city ordinance 
that every morning and evening a dervish (priest) in every 
quarter shall pass the street and give to every dog a piece of 
bread, while the Austrian government and its satellites take the 
last bit from the Hungarian, if he be not able to pay the ex- 
orbitant tax. So much however is true, that their bread is only 
fit for dogs, but not for a man who desires to keep safe his 
health. They do not understand how to make good flour and 
good bread, though they have more than enough of wheat- 
corn, &c, of the best qualities. 

Their soil is fertile and richly repays labor, but is poorly and 
only partially cultivated. There are thousands and thousands 
of acres of most fertile soil, abandoned to the wild vegetables of 
nature. During our journey we found hundreds and thousands 
of turtles, but of small size — marching here and there, or lying 
on the ground, or swimming in the transparent water left by 
the late rains in some hollows. Nobody cares for them. The 
Turks do not know that here in America, they are a delicacy. 



138 KOSSUTH. 

The villages are unperceived by the traveler until be is near 
them, or some times even till be enters tbem. A quarter part 
only of tbe bo use-walls is out of the earth, and being covered 
with earth, they are rather basements than houses. They con- 
sider such habitations very useful for they are warm in winter, 
and cool in summer, while the mighty wind-storms, in their 
most unbridled fury, have no power to take down or away their 
roofs, as happens with some marble palaces here in America. 
But such tenements being damp both in summer and winter, 
cannot be propitious to health. 

I remarked above, that when fatigued we hired horses or 
carriages, in hopes of gaining a little relief; but mortals cannot 
be more bitterly deluded in their hopes than, we were. The 
carriages are entirely constructed of wood, without any iron on 
them, and so narrow that two persons cannot sit side by side; 
or if they do, they will break their heads against each other. 
For the wheels being of every geometrical figure but a circle, 
on the rough ground, now falling and than rising, produce an 
effect in the traveler's spine and neck bones, and in every joint 
of his body, which, without any scruple, may be termed " a 
kind of torture !" On horseback, the effect is still more intoler- 
able. The horses are accustomed to as slow a pace as their 
owner, and if they are put into a trot or gallop they are not 
only easily worn out, but produce such an eclat in the mortal 
body of the rider, that his immortal soul seems anxious to de- 
part from its habitation, while having no iron shoes they threaten 
every moment to break not only their own but the rider's neck. 
I only add that when I dismounted from these horses or car- 
riages, and walked beside them, though wearied and worn, I 
found a kind of happiness, which I thought ought to be en- 
rolled among the pleasures of Mahomed's paradise ! 

We passed also three capital cities: Adrianapolis, Philipo- 
lis, and Sophia, built by the Greeks or Romans. But there 
remained very few vestiges of the founders of the buildings. 
There is nothing worthy of mention, exceot the conflicts of the 



KOSSUTH. 139 

olden times which were witnessed by these ancient walls, on the 
same grounds which surround these cities. 

We met also some caravans, consisting of from twenty to 
thirty or forty camels, heavily loaded with merchandise, and con- 
ducted by an ass, which with dandy paces marched before them, 
while these deformed beasts one after an other followed with 
slow, dignified step. As often as I saw such caravans, I could 
not help thinking that these camels are like the people who 
allow themselves to be loaded with burdens, and follow with 
dignity and gravity the ass, their kings. 

Our journey had now continued twenty-two days when we 
arrived at the foot of the Balkan. We were informed the 
distance to Yiddin was yet about 60 hours' hard walking, but 
we set forth ; for, when wearied and worn out, we gained new 
spirit from the thought that we were no longer far from our 
struggling fatherland, and should shortly arrive before its altar. 
There, falling on our knees, we would give thanks to God, and 
put upon it the offering of our blood, and if need be our life, 
this being the only desire and purpose of our existence. 

We ascended the mountains in sixteen hours, and found our- 
selves on the top, where a single house stood alone among the 
gigantic oaks of centuries. , The only inhabitant of this wilder- 
ness was a single Turk to receive the passengers, and to relieve 
them by his rather poor refreshments. But he had some other 
travelers, partly Turks, partly Bulgarians. We were happy to 
find this place, and concluded to pass the night here. I and 
my companions were so tired that we preferred rest to refresh- 
ment. And it so happened that one of my countrymen, putting 
his bundle and a couple of pistols under his head, to rest upon, 
with his elbow discharged one of the pistols, causing the ball to 
pass through the flesh of his arm. The Turks and Bulgarians 
in an other room, hearing the report of pistol, rushed in, and 
seeing the wounded man whose garments were in flames, thought 
that we had purposely wounded him, and began to blame us in 
a most terrible manner, nay to threaten us. Had one of our 



140 KOSSUTH. 

countrymen not been able to speak their language, here would 
have occurred a sanguinary fight, without cause. But being 
informed of the fact, the Turks treated our wounded country- 
man with such kind care that I can not help to call them more 
humane than are some of our brothers who profess to be Chris- 
tians. 

The poor fellow was not dangerously wounded; but being 
frightened, was overcome by fever, and unable to march. One 
of the Turks put him on his horse, while he himself conducted 
the horse, and walked with us more than forty hours. 

At last appeared to our view the majestic volume of the 
b'oad Danube — the vein of the heart of our bleeding country. 
And there was a tear in the eyes of my companions, as well as 
in my own, and death-like silence followed a mute prayer to the 
Almighty, thanking Him, and praying Him to give us strength 
to fulfill our destiny — to bless the sword of our nation, lifted 
in self defence, against assassins, in the most holy cause — to 
emancipate our fellow men from the infamous oppressor, who 
dared oppress and murder our race in His Almighty Name, j^j 

It was about noon when we approached Viddin; our pass- 
ports were directed to this place. From here to Orsova we 
had the most perilous part of our journey; for we must pass 
among the Servians, the most savage assassin-like and treacher- 
ous people of the European Continent, and the most bitter 
enemies of the Hungarian nation. 

Entering the city, a Turkish policeman requested us to hand 
to him our passports, which, if they shall be wanted, may yet 
be found in the office of Capt. Marco; this gentleman being 
the Piedmontese consul. 

Scarcely had I finished my rural repast, when I hastened to 
Capt. Marco, whom I found in his office. This gentleman was 
an old man, of rather attractive exterior. On the other side of 
the table, near which the old gentleman was sitting, sat also an 
other man with a manner entirely opposite to etiquette, resting 
his head on the palm of his hand, while his elbow was on the 



KOSSUTH. 141 

table. The manner of his sitting at first sight showed him to 
be a man, born for eternal peasantry ; while the large headed gold 
rings on his finger, displayed neither taste, elegance, nor riches, 
but affirmed him to be one of the above named specimens of 
the human race. 

The old captain, after I stated to him why I came, asked me 
if I were Italian. 

" Yes, sir !" was the reply. 

" And musician ?" asked he. 

" The same." 

" What instrument do you play on V 

" Different ones," said I. 

The rustic looking and boorishly sitting man looked on me 
with as much avidity and curiosity, as a man does when he 
meets another who seems to be one of his aquaintances, but 
cannot clearly recollect him. 

" Well !" said the consul, " is it your wish that your pass- 
ports for Orsova be inspected ?" 

" Yes, sir." 

" For Orsova in Turkey or in Hungary ?" 

" For both." 

" You are going to Hungary ?" 

" At least this is my intention." 

" Well ! What will you do in Hungary, my dear son ?" said 
the old man with visible pleasure. " Hungary is lost. She 
wants no more music, except for the funeral dirge. Kossuth 
and his companions, if not here to-day, will certainly be here 
to-morrow. The Turks have already dispatched boats to bring 
them down." 

" Well, sir !" said I, " it matters not to me. I go not into 
Hungary to make music for the Hungarians, but for the Aus- 
trians. I hope they will have enough reason to dance if they 
succeed in burying the Hungarian nation. 

" Yes, they have, indeed ! I am sorry for these poor, brave 
fellows. But they were the cause of their own final destruction," 
remarked the old man. 



142 KOSSUTH. 

" I thought that the consul by such language tried to find 
out my nationality, and I said, rather in a tone of rebuke, " I 
came to you not to hear obituaries, or who is the cause of their 
final destruction. I came to you as to the consul of my govern- 
ment, and now I ask you, will you inspect our passports or will 
you not ?" 

" Ha ! ho !" came out now> the rustic sitting. Spring- 
ing up from his seat, and accosting me, he continued in a 
hoarse voice, " Where have you learnt manners ? In Hungary. 
Ha! ha! ha! You think that we are so stupid, as to believe 
you that you are an Italian, as you state it. Ha ! ha ! ha ! 
Musicians ! Yes, fine musicians ! Deserters from the army of 
His Excellency Fieldmarshal Radeczky! Musicians! Yes, to 
cry, "Eljeri Kossuth! — Hurrah for Kossuth!" — What instru- 
ment do you play on except these two words ?" 

" Cannon ! miserable slave soul !" said I, entirely forgetting 
the part which I ought to act; but these words came so un- 
expectedly that I could no reflect. "One word more, you 
miserable scoundrel ! and I will show you where I have learnt 
manners," continued I, advancing towards him, as if with the 
intention that at the first insult I would tear out one of his 
eyes. But the old man was alert, and springing between me, 
partly by commands, partly by his strength, forced him into 
the adjoining room.* 

While the old man thus was engaged in turning his friend 
out of the room, my rage caused me to turn round in the room. 
My eyes instantly rested upon a painting, suspended in a corner 
of the room, and which was the Austrian emblem, the double- 
headed eagle, with the inscription, * V Imperiale Reale conso- 
lato $ Austria" — The Imperiale Real Consulate of Austria. 
If at my discovery I was excited, I became now almost stupe- 
fied. " Well, sir !" said I , " are you the Austrian consul ?" 



* People said that the rustic man was the servant »f the consul, and that he had 
a good looking wife. Hence the republican equality with which he behaved 
towards his master. 



KOSSUTH. 143 

" And a man!" said he, significantly. 

" Myself, too, am not a bear, sir! But where and who is the 
Piedmontese consul ?" 

" This officiality is bestowed upon me," said he. 

" Well ! Are you also in reality an Austrian and substitute 
Piedmontese consul ?" 

" If you permit it, yes." 

" Never mind," said I, " if you choose you may be a Rus- 
sian, or a devil too, I shall not object nor envy you. But I 
have nothing to do with the Austrian consul, and so I ask the 
Piedmontese, will he or will he not inspect our passports ?" 

" If this is your unalterable desire, I will. But my advice is 
to wait till to-morrow, and you will change your mind," said 
he without the slighest excitement, or resentment at my latter 
remark. 

" If you were not an Austrian consul, I would trust your 
words on account of your face. But your employment contra- 
dicts every good impression of your physiognomy," said I, as 
sincerely as I thought it. 

" Well!" said he, smiling, after looking me full in the" face; 
tf if you are obstinate, I will do it ; but as for the Turkish pass- 
ports it is too late in the day, and you of necessity must wait 
till to-morrow. It is now past four o'clock, and the Seraglio is 
closed. But come to-morrow, and you shall find them all ready 
for you, and for your fellow musicians.' ' 

Knowing that the Turks after four o'clock in the afternoon 
do no more bussiness, I saw that the consul in this view was 
right, and left him. As it seemed to me, he was either not 
entirely a bad man, or else, one of the most cunning kind. In 
the town I inquired in every manner for the news from Hun- 
gary ; but there being no newspapers in Turkey, it was impos- 
sible to extract any certainty from the most contradictory re- 
ports. The inhabitants being Turks, Bulgarians, and Bosnya- 
kians. The former, kindly disposed to the Hungarians, reported 



144 KOSSUTH. 

their army victorious over the Austrians and Russians ; while 
the latter spread rumors entirely opposite. 

Towards evening, while promenading on the shores of the 
Danube, reflecting on the past, and thinking of the future, I 
met a gentleman, whom I knew in Piedmonte, and I saluted 
him. 

" Colonel Peroni ! Good evening. Are you here ?" 

He looked on me, and after some efforts, made to identify 
who I was — for the twenty-six or seven days' march had worn 
out not only our garments, but our faces too and being sun- 
burnt I looked rather like a respectable colored man than a 
non-respectable white person — he said, 

" Be silent; do not mention my name." 

" At your command, sir. But may I know why is this 
secresy ?" 

" Come along," said he, " and I will tell all, but here we are 
not free from spies." 

I followed him, and learned that after the affair of Novara 
he ( resigned his commission as colonel in the Piedmontese 
army, and was on his way to Hungary, as the only place 
from whence Italy might hope for redemption, providing the 
Hungarians should not be betrayed and sold, as they were. 

I was very much pleased at this, and was about to give way 
to my gladness, when he said, " Do not be in a hurry, my 
brother! There are rumors that Hungary is lost, and these 
rumors come from reliable sources." 

" Do you believe them ?" asked I. 

" I believe them not, till I shall see them with my own eyes," 
said he. " But I am afraid that I must not wait long to see, 
also to believe them." 

I protested, objected, defied these rumors. I said, and stated, 
and swore, that while a single Hungarian was alive, the cause 
was not dead — Hungary not lost. Indeed ! I was convinced 
that my nation between death and servitude would choose the 
former, and die. But alas ! I was deceived. 



KOSSUTH. 145 

On the following morning the town was full of rumors that 
the Hungarian generals were in the Seraglio. I hastened ! And 
oh ! Where is the pen that could describe what I felt, when 
in the fortress I saw my countrymen in their uniform belonging 
to the different corps! 

The answer to my question was, M Gorgey turned traitor ! 
Dembinszky Bern, was defeated! We have been deserted by 
Humanity and God ! It was impossible to resist any longer 
the ten times larger Austro-Russian strength — to endure the 
sufferings!" Every word was a poniard thrust to my heart. I 
blamed the universe — my countrymen too ; accusing them of 
being cowards in running out from their fatherland. They saw 
that I was deeply touched not only in my bosom, but in my 
mind too, and endeavored to console me. 

I afterwards went to General Meszaros, the only humane and 
Christian man in the whole Austro-Hungarian army among the 
staff officers in Italy, whom also I knew to be such while yet in 
Italy. 

The old, but always kind man, related to me the story of 
Hungary's fall, which also was as above. And seeing that my 
ten toes were out of my boots, he asked me if I had no other 
boots. " Eh ! what boots ?" I thought then not about boots, 
but of my unhappy, downtrodden, immolated nation. But he 
offered me a piece of gold to buy another pair. I asked him 
about Kossuth, and he informed me that he was here, but. in- 
cognito, and wished at present to remain so. But as I was 
coming from Italy and Constantinople, he might get some in- 
formation from me, of which he might be in need. And so, 
describing his whereabouts, he advised me to go and present 
myself. 

I found the house described by Gen. Meszaros. Entering 
the yard there was a Honved,* busy in feeding his horses, which 



Hotrod in th» Huo||*ran mekns — deflradtr of frttorlcnS. 
9 



146 KOSSUTH. 

for want of a stable were tied to a post in the open air ; also a 
carriage entirely covered with dust. 

"To whom belong these horses and the carriage?" I asked 
the Honved. 

" To General Damjanits," was the answer. 

" Have you brought the general ?" 

" No." 

" Whom then ?" 

" Three gentlemen, but I do not know them." 

During this colloquy a gentleman came to the carriage, and 
was about to take off the trunks and carpet bags, attached to the 
back. I wished him good morning, for it was about six in the 
morning, and asked him if Gov. Kossuth was here. 

" Kossuth is no more !" said he, laconically. 

" Kossuth was, Kossuth is, and Kossuth shall be forever !" 
replied I, more laconically. 

" Who are you ?" asked he, glancing with curiosity at my 
garments; and no wonder, for I looked like a criminal just run 
away from the gallows. 

"lama deserter, from Italy," replied I. 

11 Well !" said the unknown, little moved by the answers. 
" My dear friend, you will do well not to ask for Kossuth. The 
moment is so heavy, that he himself is a burden to himself. 
Your appearance would affect him more," and so saying he left 
me, entering the house with a carpet bag in his hand. 

u Who is he if" inquired I from the Honved. 

" I do not know him ; but he is one of the three whom I 
brought" 

" Well !" thought I, " I am not to be satisfied in this way," 
and knocked on the door. 

" Come in !" sounded from within. 

I entered the room, for the houses of the Turks are built in 
such a manner, that from the yard the man directly steps into 
the room. I found here three gentlemen, — one who brought 
in the carpet bag, with which he was busy in a window arch ; 



KOSSUTH. 147 

the other with a long red moustache, sitting in a corner on the 
divan, which extented all round the wall, smoking his csibouk* 
with as much ease and familiarity as if this were the business 
for which he was born ; and the third in the act of dressing 
himself, being engaged in arranging his hair, without a looking 
glass. The bed, spread on the floor, was in the same disorder 
as they had left it in. " My lords," said I, " you will excuse 
me if I am so importune as to intrude myself even into your 
sleeping apartments, But I am very anxious to know where 
Kossuth is. I came not to trouble nor to molest him, but the 
contrary. If you know where he is, be kind enough to inform 
me, in order that I may speak with him." 

" What do you wish to speak with him about ?" asked the 
one who was occupied in dressing himself. 

u A curious question!" remarked I. If you were Kossuth, 
I would tell it you, but as you are not, why do you put such a 
question ?" 

" Well !" said he, looking me full in the face, and smiling, 
" if you want to speak to Kossuth, speak, for I am he. 

I looked upon him, with a doubtful ironical smile, and after- 
wards into the faces of the other two persons, but there was not 
the slightest appearance of negation or affirmation. Nay, they 
even seemed to pay no attention at all, to our conversation. 
And I said, " I believe many things in the world, which are 
not believed by others, but I cannot believe, sir, that you are 
Kossuth, You will excuse me, but I know Kossuth — I have 
spoken with him, I am indebted to him, and so this trifling is 
out of place — I may say, senseless, added I, seriously. 

" My dear friend I" said he, smiling, " if you do not believe 
that I am Kossuth, I have nothing more to say to you." These 
words were spoken in his natural tone, which, as the reader 
may have remarked, is somewhat peculiar. 



* Csibouk is a Turkish word, and means the pipe with a cane —six, eight, some- 
times ten feet long. 



148 KOSSUTH. 

If at the fairest midday the sun were falling down from the 
firmament, leaving and covering the whole universe in im- 
penetrable darkuess, or at the darkest midnight the sun should 
appear at once at his highest noon — I think that this change 
could produce no greater surprise on a mortal's mind and heart, 
than was produced in mine, when I recognized the tone, which 
was the same as when he assisted me to save my unfortunate 
friend. 

It was now the first time in my life that I could not speak. 
A heavy sentiment was swelling in my bosom, which seemed 
to break. I attempted to speak but in vain. I put on my 
hat, turned about, and left the room. 

When I became conscious of myself, I found that I had run 
up and down several streets of Widdin without purpose or end. 
I now began to think, but as soon as I turned my thoughts to 
the bleeding image of my country, whose scattered and fugitive 
sons, were marching in sad melancholy round me, I was over- 
come by my feelings. No sooner could I control myself than 
after retiring to my quarters, I closed the doors, and shed tears, 
bitter tears like a boy — but I could not help it. After this 1 
felt myself a little relieved, and could think better. I thought 
to go back to Kossuth, to beg him to excuse my conduct — to 
say to him, that although Hungary, our dear country was lost 
it was not his fault, and we Hungarians would not blame, but 
bless him while we live. I entered his room also a second time 
and with forced coolness I endeavored to speak ; I begged him 
to excuse me — I told him that I was the grenadier corporal 
whom he was once willing to save from running the gauntlet. 
He remembered the occurrence, but said that it was long ago. 
I replied, it was not so long as to obliterate the feeling cf grati- 
tude, by which I am for ever indebted to him. Afterwards he 
asked me about Italy. I related tj him in brief what I have 
described above, and coming to the matters of Constantinople, 
I told him what the Hungarian Ambassador told me. That 



KOSSUTH. 149 

is, that the Porte "was not independent — that the Austrian and 
Russian Ambassadors had a great influence over him — that the 
Porte dared not refuse their requests — that I was in great an- 
guish as to whether the Porte would or could be strong and 
firm enough to resist the claim of Russia and Austria, by whom, 
without doubt, he, Kossuth and his followers would be demand- 
ed. Here the thought struck me, would it not be better for 
him to leave Turkey before he should be discovered. We had 
passports all in order and it would bring him out to England, 
or to the United States. I proposed to him what I thought. 
But he said, "my dear countryman ! while I am very much ob- 
liged for your noble sympathy thus shown towards me, I must 
decline it, because I have given and trusted myself to the hos- 
pitality and loyalty of the Turks. If they shall abuse this con- 
fidence, they will be traitors, but I shall never desert; I have 
no cause to desert. But on the other hand by accepting your 
passports, I should bring you into some serious trouble, which 
I am equally unwilling to do." 

" As for us Governor," said I, " do not trouble yourself, we 
are a drop in the infinite ocean — a grain of dust on the bound- 
less earth. If we shall be lost, it will be only a drop, or a 
particle of dust. But if you shall be lost, the only man who 
can and will save our down-trodden but unbroken country, will 
be lost ; and with you the hope and the faith of the poor bleed- 
ing Hungarian nation." 

" I thank you very cordially," said he, " for your readiness 
to sacrifice yourself as well as for the confidence which you 
place in me. And as I see that you belong to the small class 
of the mortals who do not care for self-sacrifice, if by it the 
common cause may be promoted, so I say to you sincerely, that 
if you are willing to hand me your passports, I could and 
would use them in our common cause." 

" With the sincerest joy," said I, and I hastened directly to 
Captain Marco, requesting him to inspect them, and direct them 
back to Constantinople. The old fox laughed at my request. 



150 K088UTH. 

but when I told him that such laughter might turn to bitter- 
ness for him, he desisted. And examining the Italians, he 
sent with me a Turkish policeman into the Seraglio to inspect 
the Turkish in like manner. 

When I returned to the quarters of Gov. Kossuth, I met in 
the yard the gentleman whom I saw in the morning busy with 
the carpet bag, and who also was the interpreter of Governor 
Kossuth.* He told me that the Governor had ordered him to 
take the passports, but only the Turkish ones, leaving the Ital- 
ians for us to help ourselves. I handed them to him, and in 
receiving them, he said, " Here is what the Governor ordered 
for you, help yourself as you best can." So saying he tender- 
ed to m« an enrolled paper, in which I saw there was money 
concealed, 

" What do you think sir !" exclaimed I, "lama Hungarian 
like yourself, and what I do is not for money. " 

" If you decline to receive it," said he, ** 1 cannot receive 
your passports." Saying this, he threw the money — some 
Hungarian gold pieces — into my hat which I held in my hand. 

I turned the money out on the ground, put on my hat and 
left him. 

I had no money ; that is true. I needed it; that is yet more 
true. But I could not throw a shade upon my conduct by re- 
ceiving it. I thought it would be derogatory to myself. It 
would be bitter for Kossuth, if it were supposed that I was 
moved by a desire of obtaining money, while he the fugitive 
Chief of the Hungarians could not expect or hope for a slight 
service without payment, even from his own countrymen. No ! 
I was very glad of having declined it. 

About an hour after this scene the interpreter came to me, 
and said, that Kossuth wished to speak with me. I followed 
him. When I entered the yard, Kossuth perceived me through 



* Named Szollosy, once already a Turk— renegade— at that time interpreter of 
Gov. Kossuth, and at last an Austrian spy. Such monsters ar« the offspring of 
Hungarian maniags with Dutch blood. 



KOSSUTH. 151 

the window, and coming out to meet me, he said, putting his 
hand on my shoulder, " My dear countryman ! your conduct, 
though a little curious, pleases me, and it has done me some 
good, for it is a new testimonial in my life, that the friends of 
humanity shall never remain alone ; not even in the most criti- 
cal condition, as I am in now. He will find always and every- 
where friends, and bosoms that understand him, and are able to 
appreciate him. But enough of this ! I am willing to say to 
you, that if you now succeed in reaching Constantinople with- 
out Turkish passports, which would be a little surprising — if 
you choose, you may wait there for my fate. For should the 
treacherous diplomacy of Europe exile me into whatever part 
of this universe, I shall look on you at my side with pleasure, 
if you will follow my paths." I was overwhelmed now a 
second time. The faculty of speech failed me, and without ut- 
tering a word, or thanking him, or bidding him good bye, I 
left him with tears in my eyes. 

Such was my second meeting with the Governor of my brave 
nation. 



THE ASSASSINS, 

AND MY HUMBLE SELF 



" Shapes hot from Tartarus — all shames and crimes, 
Won Treachery with his thirsty dagger drawn — 
Suspicion poisoning his brother's cup." 



I hired a Turkish boat which was about to transport some 
groceries from Viddin to Rusztsuk, whence we intended to go 
on foot to Varna, and thence by steamboat to Constantinople. 
I will not attempt to describe the condition of my mind and 
heart upon the sad fate of Hungary. She was lost! And 
these three words were enough to inspire my friends with fear 
that I should lose my reason. 

There were in the boat some Spanish Jews. I envied their 
happiness, for homeless as we wandering sons of the quondam 
elect people of God as we were,* they could find consolation in 
the thought, that the curse by which the temple of Jerusalem 
was destroyed, came not to punish their own crimes, but those 
of their forefathers. While we could not find relief in our dis- 
tress in a similar thought for the country, the country alone — 
which is all to the Hungarian — the freedom won by the blood 
of our forefathers, preserved, through centuries and centuries, 
was lost by us, their unworthy sons ! 



* The Hungarian people have such a strong faith that they are beloved of God, 
that whoever would persuade them of the contrary, they would be ready to whip ! 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 153 

We arrived in twenty-six hours at Rustsuk, and upon land- 
ing we were taken directly to the consul. 

Mr. Reszler was consul in the same capacity as Capt. Marco ; 
that is actually Austrian, and substitute Piedmontese. I told 
him that while fishing from a boat in the Danube our Turkish 
passports fell into it from my coat pocket. He nodded several 
times, and afterwards put some questions as to the circumstances 
under which the passports fell into the river, which I answered 
boldly, being already prepared to meet such questions. At last 
he ordered a Cavass (policeman) to come with me into the 
Pasha's office and provide us with new ones. But had this 
gentleman known that we should meet each other once more 
in this world, and under such circumstances as the reader shall 
learn, I think he would not so readily have been disposed to 
furnish us with passports as he did. 

We arrived at Varna after four day's march. Here we took 
passage on a Turkish steamer for Constantinople. Here I 
found the legion, which as the reader knows, passed in sections 
into France, leaving me in the prison of Nizza Maritima. Lieut. 
Balogh related to me the infamous treatment by which the 
French government tried to send them to Africa But not 
yielding to menaces and sufferings, they were escorted among 
bayonets to Toulon, and from thence in a steamboat transport- 
ed to Folkston in England, whose monarchical people, clothed 
them, gave them to eat and drink and took care of their sick. 
For in republican France they were naked, hungry and thirsty, 
and consequently many of them fell sick. 

This event may serve as a thermometre of the French and 
English humanity, and Christianity. 

I waited in Constantinople, watching the proceedings of the 
Russo- Austrian Ambassadors, who by every means tried to 
compel the Porte to give up Kossuth and his followers. The 
reader will remember that at this critical time, the Porte first 
wavered ; afterwards informed Kossuth that unless he and hia 
9* 



154 THE ASSASSINS AND MY IIU&1BLE SELF. 

followers should abjure the christian faith, and embrace the 
Mahometan the Porte could not save him. But Kossuth de- 
clined to purchase his life at this price.* At length when the 
Divan was not able to agree, they asked the advice of the 
M uf'ti. (the chief priest) His answer was, that, " to deliver up 
to their murderers the unjustly persecuted who seek an asylum 
under the Koran, were a most sacrilegious violation of the 
Koran." And so the Sultan responded, that he was ready to 
risk his csibouk, (pipe) his seraglio and his crown, but he would 
not and could not violate the holy book, and prove a traitor to 
humanity and hospitality. Indeed when the extraordin- 
ary envoy of Russia, sent by the Bear expressly for the 
purpose of reclaiming the fugitives, presented himself with 
this request before the Sultan, he ordered his dragoman to ask 
the Prince what his master intended to do with these fugitives. 
After hearing the answer, which was, "To inflict upon them the 
punishment they deserved" ; the Sultan said with the deepest 
disgust and scorn, * ce est plutot un policon qu' un Polonais." 
This man is more a rowdy than a Pole, — referring to the Prince 
because he was of Polish origin. 

On learning this news I was a little tranquilized, but my evil 
genius took such a strong hold of me, that whenever, and 
wherever I found a Russian or Russians^ I could not help 
fighting them ! In many instances I was rescued by my friends, 
who, aware of my thoroughly exasperated, if not insane mind, 



• This is a very remarkable passage in the life of Kossuth. And this entirely 
refutes the Catholic Clergymen, who accused him of being irreligious. It is here 
a fact which puts it out of all question and doubt, that Kossuth preferred to die 
on the gallows rather than to abjure his Christian faith. I would like to see 
what these Clergymen would do, not in such a critical condition as Kossuth was 
but even when it were only denied them to receive the substantial payment for 
their spiritual services. 1 have much reason to believe that they would justify 
the words of Paliugeuius 

"Deine autem lucrum superos sacraque negabunt." 
Take away the gaiu and they-the Catholic Priests-shall deny God and sacrament*. 

t There were many coming from the Black Sea. 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 155 

kept a good look out for inc.* The latin proverb " nulla dies 
sine line a" — not a day without skirmish — was duly applicable 
to me. I could not resist the evil spirit which instigated me 
and gave me no peace upon meeting one or more Russians till 
I had not beaten them, or they me, which would many times 
have resulted in my requiem ceternam — eternal quietness — had 
not my friends and the Turks themselves interfered for me* 
The Europeans and Christians called "'Franks," inhabiting the 
cities of Pera and Galata, opposite to Constantinople, thought me 
a furious madman ; and avoided every occasion of coming in con- 
tact with me. While the Piedmontese Ambassador, who on 
my return requested me to deposite our passports in his hand, 
and who, when I told him what had happened to the Turkish 
passports, begging him that if any body should present himself 
with these, he would be kind enough to help them along, as 
they certainly came from Kossuth ; told me that while he was 
Ambassador, he not only could not approve my conduct, but it 
would be his duty to seize the man who should come with 
them — yet as a man, praised me for it and wished to ignore 
the matter. This man so kindly disposed, when he heard of, 
and some times witnessed the skirmishes of which I was the 
author, declined to receive or to speak with me, when I would 
speak to him for some of my countrymen who did not speak 
Italian. Only my countrymen were able to conceive and to 
understand my situation. And they instead of blaming me, 
had compassion for me, and several times rescued me when I 
was overwhelmed by the Russians, whose part the Greeks never 
failed to take. 

While I was leading this Don Quixotte's life in Constantino- 
ple, I became acquainted with a Hungarian family by name 
Baron Orban, long resident in Constantinople. This family 
consisted of four persons, the father, an aged man, between 



• AmoDg others. I am indebted to Capt. Geo. K. Toth, working at preient In 
Boston, in ths gold bearing manufactory of Clark Bacon. 



156 THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 

sixty and seventy, of a venerable physiognomy as far as a long 
white beard, mustache and hair, could make a face venerable. 
The mother, his wife, a woman rather below the common quali- 
ties of personal or intellectual attractions; a son, young, stout, 
tall, noble-hearted and well made, but not the best educated ; 
lastly, a girl, who if not the model of the seven Greek beauties, 
was certainly very handsome, and the youngest of the family. 
In as much as this family will figure in my coming chronicle, 
it may not be superfluous to make the reader a little better ac- 
quainted with them, that is to say, so far as I was, and am, tc 
this day. 

The father, the old Baron, a descendant — if his name is real — 
of one of the most ancient families of Transylvania, in his 
youth entered the Austrian army, arrived at the rank of lieuten- 
ant. In consequence of a duel which resulted in the death of 
his antagonist, he was compelled to bid good bye to the Austrian 
army, and evade the hand of the law by flying into Turkey . 
His father hearing of the event, disinherited him and prohibited 
him from bearing his name. He accordingly married at Con- 
stantinople, and led a life of leisure, his wife being of one of 
the richest Armenian families residing in Stambul. A short 
time before the revolution broke out in Hungary and Transyl- 
vania, his father died, and he became the heir of the property. 
To take possession of it he went into Transylvania, leaving his 
wife's mother in Constantinople. But scarcely had he reached 
his home when a letter announced to him the death of his 
mother-in-law, and he hastened back to Constantinople and 
found the property of the deceased in the greatest confusion. 
In short there ensued a litigation between him and the Greek, 
who was appointed by the deceased as executor of her will. 
The Baron being an Austrian subject, and the Greek and his 
wife, Turkish subjects, the quorum of jurisdiction, according to 
the covenants, was to be composed of pashas and officers be- 
longing to the Austrian embassy. Such is the story as it was 
related to me by the old Baron and his friends, though evil 



THE ASSASSINS AND MT HUMBLE SELF. 157 

tongues, as I thought them, tried to give another rather unfa- 
vorable color to this biography. But I was very little disposed 
to believe them, knowing from experience that irreproachable 
characters are victimized by idle and ill-disposed tongues in so- 
ciety. And in a short time I became not only acquainted with 
the family, but attached to the old Baron by ties of respect and 
gratitude. For I saw, though he feared to offend the Austrian 
Ambassador, who was the Judge in one of his law cases, he 
was secretly exerting his whole power to alleviate the sufferings 
of my fugitive and homeless countrymen. It even seemed to 
me, or rather it was displayed before my eyes, that the old 
Baron had done things, some times for the benefit of my coun- 
trymen, at his own risk and sacrifice. And so it happened that 
I related to him frankly, though under condition to keep silent 
the scene which took place between me and Gov. Kossuth at 
Widdin. In his house I generally found a young man, who 
was introduced to me by the name of Turaczy. I needed not 
so many nor so sharp eyes as Argus had, to conjecture and un- 
derstand that the young gentleman was attracted by the pretty 
lady whom I mentioned above. Bat when for once, after some 
time I had learned that this gentleman, besides being a suitor 
of the lady, was the comptroller in the Austrian Embassy, I 
was not a little astonished and surprised ; and had it not been 
for the respect which I felt towards the old Baron, and for the 
reputation of his house, I could hardly have resisted my evil 
genius which put me on such a curious footing with Russians 
and Austrians, as I remarked above. But the old Baron was 
so kind, 10 preventive, so anxious to calm the storm of my agi- 
tated soul, and seemed to be so thoroughly Hungarian, that I 
could not disbelieve him when he said that Turaczy should leave 
the Austrian service, as soon as his case was ended — that he 
was a poor fellow, and in order to earn his living was compelled 
to enter the Austrian service, that he, the Baron needed him, 
and so forth. At last I began to believe that this fellow, 
though in the Austrian service, yet possibly might be, if not 



158 THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE 8ELF. 

honest, at least not dishonest, if there is any medium. I was 
confirmed in this opinion when I saw that Mr. Tiiraczy did 
every thing he could for my countrymen, and never any harm. 
So at last I could endure him without thinking of my cane with 
which I chastised many of his race. 

On the 5th of December, 1849, the son of the old Baron 
came to me in the evening, at a rather late hour and wished me 
to go with him to his father who was very desirous to speak to 
me about some important matter. I scarcely had heard the 
message, before I took my cane — weighing seven pounds — 
moved and reached the house of the family ; entering the par- 
lor, or rather the smoking room, for in Turkey there are no 
parlors, I found the old Baron and Turaczy in a rather troubled 
silence, which perhaps told me more than words could have 
done. 

After I had asked several times what was the matter for 
which they had summoned me so hurriedly, and after they had 
exchanged some glances, which told me that they were too 
much troubled to speak, the Baron began in a trembling and 
sensitive tone. " Brother Bardy ! we know that you are warmly 
devoted to the cause of our unfortunate fatherland. We know 
that you love Kossuth and his fellow leaders of the revolution ; 
also, we know that you will not betray us, for in the secret, 
which we are about to communicate to you, is involved the life 
or death of Kossuth. " So first of all we ask your pledge of 
honor by the welfare of your country, that what we shall say 
to you shall be buried for ever and ever in your bosom, that 
no body shall know from whence, or from whom it comes, not 
even Kossuth himself. " 

This was spoken in so solemn a tone, and by such an old 
man as might have been my grandfather, that I hesitated not 
a single minute to agree to their request. 

" Remember Bardy !" said the old Baron in a more solemn 
tone, " If you ever shall forget this promise, you will bring me 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 159 

and Mr. Turaczy to the gallows, and my family to eternal des- 
titution. So I hope that you will keep your word. And now 
be it known to you that the Austrian Government, not content 
with having hanged and shot the fathers of Hungary, imprison- 
ed her heroes, whipped her ladies — abhor not to steal, poniard 
in hand to the bosoms of the few braves who may have found 
an asylum in this territory — abhor not to plunge into their bosom 
the dagger of an assassin." 

" Well !" said I, more moved by the skillful theatrical mimi- 
cry of the old man, with which he declared these words, than 
by the words themselves. • I do not understand you perfectly," 

" But you will," continued he with the same emotion, " if I 
say, that the Austrian Ambassador, Count Sturmer, also Consul 
Mihalovich has received orders from Vienna to put an end at 
whatever cost to the life of Kossuth, Gen. Meszaros, Gen. Dem- 
binsky and Casimer Batthyany. And for this purpose two 
emissaries have recently arrived from Vienna, and they resem- 
ble some of the most notorious assassins of Stambul. They 
shall start fourteen in number for Schumla.* 

" Well !" said I, "Kossuth and the others are guarded by 
Turkish officers and soldiers, and I think it would be rather a 
difficult task for assassins to steal unperceived so near to their 
bosoms, as to be able to plunge poniards into their bosoms." 

" The matter is quite different, my dear brother !" continued 
the Baron, " You and they, and all of us know well that Kos- 
suth usually takes every day a walk among the mountains, and 
is accompanied only by a couple of his countrymen, and by his 
Turkish servant presented to him by the Sultan. What would 
be easier than for these assassins to hide themselves among the 
mountains, and shoot him down with his companions from a 
distance, so that they could not even imagine from what quar- 



* Kossuth and followers, as the reader remembers, left Widdin in the month of 
November for Schumla, for their winter quarters. 



160 THE ASSASSINS AND MF nUMBLE SELF. 

ter death came, or kill him as they killed poor Loschi in the 
public street in broad day light ?* 

The Baron was right in these conjectures, for such sad casual- 
ties are not very unfrequent in Constantinople. As to the 
Austrian government, I know well that it would net scorn to 
use such means, and I saw the necessity that Kossuth be ad- 
vised. 

" This is just what we want," said the Baron, " and as you 
are the man, whom Kossuth will trust, for this reason we se- 
lected you to go to Schumla and inform him." 

" Well !" said I, »• I am ready. Do you write a letter, stating 
the facts, and I shall bring it to him." 

" Write !" exclaimed the baron. " How can you expect us 
to write, when we said to you we wish to keep the matter an 
eternal secret, even to Kossuth himself. And you pledged 
yourself to it. Now how can y©u so soon forget your promise ? 
You well know that such a letter would render us the most 
miserable persons on earth, and so it shall be if you ever forget 
your pledge." 

I saw that on the one hand the baron was right. But on the 
other, as neither Kossuth, nor myself was willing to abuse his 
letter, I could not see why they refused to write. 

" Kossuth will believe what you say to him without writing; 
and that is all that we want. For if he will take the neces- 
sary steps to prevent it, this is the only escape. If not, the fault 
will be his own, and not ours. We shall have done our duty. 
And your duty must be to persuade him — to entreat him to 



* This gentleman was an Italian lawyer at Constantinople, and had no other 
crime, than that during the revolution in Hungary and Italy, he delivered some 
lectures upon the benefit which naturally would result from the success of the 
revolution. He was admonished by the Austrian Ambassadors to desist from his 
public speeches, but he continued. The Austrian Ambassador dared not prosecute 
him while the revolutionary war was prosperous. Yet as soon as it failed, the poor 
man — destitute of physical strength, was attacked by these Austrian assassins, and 
not falling uuder the wounds received by the poniards, he was beaten to death with 
elubs like a mad dog, in day light, in the public street of Para. 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 161 

leave this territory by any means whatever. Should he want 
passports, you must write to us, and we will furnish him." 

When I saw that they absolutely refused to write, I thought 
the cause was what they said it to be; and so I asked, "how 
they came to the knowledge of this infamous plan ?" 

Here Turaczy arose from his seat, where he was remaining in 
utter speechlessness, burying his forehead in both his hands, and 
said, " It is now about two weeks since two police officers 
arrived from Vienna. They daily hold with the ambassador 
and consul secret conferences in the remotest part of the build- 
ing, and behind closed doors. This secrecy did not surprise me, 
but made me a little attentive. And when I saw that daily 
there came and were presented different individuals, whom I 
know to be murderers and assassins, I became suspicious. And 
by chance being acquainted with one of these assassins, who 
owed me some money, I asked him when he would pay his 
debt. Naturally, I asked him thus, with the purpose of gain- 
ing from him any information about the matter for which they 
were presented to the ambassador. He answered that he would 
be able to pay pretty soon as they would now have a good % 
bussiness, which would pay well. I asked him what this 
bussiness was. He said that although it was striGtly forbidden 
to tell it, yet, as a guarantee, he must confess that they were in 
the service of the ambassador, and should go to Schumla to i 
see the chief of the rebels. " Well," said I, " what will you | 
do in Schumla ?" I 

" I shall not be there alone," said he ; " but what we shall do * 
I know not. But I have it in mind, and though it will some \ 
time be known to the world ; yet at present I can say no more." 

" Well !" asked I, " who pays you ? And what is your pay- 
ment?" 

" The consul pays us, and our payment is thirty-six dollars per 
month. But if we succeed, we are promised a pretty round 
sum." 

" Succeed! In what?" 



162 THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 

" That is what I don't know ; but did I know it, I would not 
be allowed to say." 

"You are also forbidden to say that you are going to 
Schumla ? Are you not ?" 

" Yes," sir !" replied he ; " and I say it only to you who be- 
long to this office; but no other soul shall hear it from me." 

" Well ! Well!" said I, "lam not very particular where you 
go, only that you being indebted to me, and now for a rather 
long time, I am very anxious to know how and when you will 
pay?" 

h As soon as we come back, which I hope will not be very 
long." 

" Well ! do you go armed ?" 

" Yes, sir ! All armed, and well. I think that I never was 
so well armed as now." 

"How, then?" asked I. 

" The consul provided us with arms, and you know he 
understands this bussiness ." 

" And when are you going ?" 

" Next Friday." 

" That is to-morrow," I interrupted Turaczy. 

" Yes, sir ! it is to-morrow. They are going at twelve o'clock, 
fourteen in number, in the Austrian steamboat " Conte Kolo- 
vrate." Now, Mr. Bardy," continued he, " you don't need 
any comments to explain what is the purpose here. " 

" If it is as you say," said I, " the affair is not only a curious, 
but a dangerous one. But I will convince myself upon this 
point. I will go with them in the same steamboat." 

"What!" exclaimed both at the same time; "you in an 
Austrian steamboat ! with your temper ! No ! no ! You will 
be killed a dozen times before you could or would be useful for 
the purpose." 

" Don't be afraid !" said I, " I will go and I must know 
these men, face to face. And if there is any possibility, I will 
gain some more information about their expedition." 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 163 

They attempted by every means to dissuade me from this 
intention, but as they saw that I yielded not, that all their 
efforts were in vain, they gave me an infinite series of warnings 
and advisings how to behave myself. Finally they particularly 
recommended me to entreat Kossuth and to persuade him to leave 
the territory, where he was not sure of his life for a single mo- 
ment, and where, if not killed, his fate could be no other than 
transportation for life. I promised to do my best. And after- 
wards they gave me money to cover the expenses of my jour- 
ney. After repeated and repeated warnings, the old Bar©n 
blessed me and kissed me, conjuring me with tears not to forget 
my promise. But, oh hypocrisy ! Who could have credulity 
enough, even to suspect, that among human kind, created in the 
likeness of the Eternal God, there could be found such a per- 
verse monster as this old baron was ? Who could believe that 
his kiss was a Judas kiss ? 

The reader may well imagine that I passed a sleepless night. 
On the following day, which was the 15th of December, 1849, 
the same Friday on which the Serazaners* were to start at 
twelve o'clock, I presented myself to the Piedmontese ambas- 
sador, though it cost me not a little trouble. But pushing aside 
the porter and some of this liveried sort of people, who were 
attempting to quiet me with the pretext that the ambassador 
was not at home, I forced my way, mounted the stairs, and 
without any preliminary ceremonies, entered the cabinet of the 
ambassador. He was rather surprised at seeing my humble 
self. I told him that one of my relations, having recently fled 
from Hungary, had arrived at rfchumla, and the Turkish au- 
thority not allowing him to come to Stambul, I was very an- 



* This kind of people are called in Turkey Serazaners — from the Italian — 
Serazani. They are of Servian origin. They are the secret executors of the se- 
cret orders of Austria as we saw recently in the Kosza affair. They can murder, 
plunder, and rob with impunity, for if arrested, they must as Austrian subject be 
delivered to the Austrian Ambassador, who by one door sends them into prison, 
and lets them out by the other— such was the case with the assassins of Loschi. 






' 164 THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 

xious to join him ; and for that reason I requested a passport, in 
virtue of which I might want a Turkish Firman — a passport 
written in Arabic. 

The ambassador said that, besides having the strictest orders 
from his government, not to provide any of the exiles with 
passports, it was better for me to remain than to go to Schumla, 
from whence every one of my unfortunate countrymen would 
gladly come here if they could. I now begged him very 
hartily, stating to him some reasons for my intended departure, 
but he would not listen. I entreated him once more, but with 
no better success. I well knew that without a passport I 
could not advance a single step. The time was so short, and 
the thought, that I could not go with the above mentioned 
party, and that they would be in Schumla four days sooner 
had struck me at once. And as I arose from my seat, I 
said with indignation and not without solemnity, " Well ! If 
Kossuth and the other chiefs of the revolution shall fall victims 
of the assassins' poniards, their blood shall remain on your soul ! 
And here, before Almighty God and before the whole world 
while I leave, I will charge you with his crime ! Because deny- 
ing me passports, you deny me the power to prevent this assas- 
sination. Their blood be on your soul, and the blame of mil- 
lions on your name and honor." Saying this, I turned about 
with the intention of leaving him forever. But His Excellency 
followed me, and catching me by my coat, he asked me what 
I had said ? 

If the reader cannot imagine the situation of my soul, I can- 
not describe it. I was exasperated intensely. I saw and knew 
nothing else, than that in two hours — for it was ten o'clock, 
and at twelve the steamboat would leave the harbor — I must 
have a passport But how and from whom I knew not. It 
was in such a condition of my mind, that the ambassador, 
holding me by my coat, stormed me with a series of accumu- 
lated questions. And before I became conscious of it, I found 
I had betrayed my pledge given to the old Baron and Turaczy, 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 165 

The ambassador, after understanding how matters stood, put an 
air on his face which may well be termed a cloud heavy with 
thought. I cherished the hope of a passport, and in this hope 
waited silently and patiently. After thinking about half an 
hour, to my greatest vexation he said, " I see how the matters 
stand. But do not go to Schumla. I will make every effort 
to detect the whole plan, also these men, whom I am acquainted 
with, and to prevent it." " Well," exclaimed I, not without 
rashness, " you think that I am unaware of your diplomatic 
procedure, which some times proceeds backward rather than 
forward. If this is your kind and sage suggestion, I would 
have liked it better not to have been detained here for half an 
hour, when every minute is so dear to me. Now should you 
oner me a passport, I would not accept it. But I shall go. 
And you shall see that I shall go. Adieu, Excellency." I left 
him. He probably thought, that being unable to procure a 
passport, I must remain. 

When a man finds himself in such a critical condition, as I 
have some times in my life passed through, as the reader has 
seen, and as I was at present; not only the mental but also the 
corporeal faculties of the man are sharper, quicker and clearer. 
Accordingly I was thinking during the night how I should get 
a passport, in case the ambassador refused it to me. I saw no 
possibility of it, and now at once the thought struck me, that 
the Poles who arrived two days previous in our hotel from 
Paris, must have passports. They, I thought, would give me 
one, though I was not acquainted with them. They would 
simply because they were Poles and I a Hungarian. And I 
was not deceived. 

Scarcely had I presented myself to these brave — but like 
ourselves unfortunate men — countrymen of Koschiusko; scarce- 
ly had I opened my lips to expose the feigned cause of my 
intended departure, when every one of them was ready to offer 
me his passport. But as the personal appearance of one 3 by- 
name Sterbinszky Wratiszlav, was very like my "own, I took his, 



166 THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 

The Poles were exiles from the revolution of 1829, and the 
sufferings of twenty years had not extinguished the generosity 
and humanity of their bosoms. Now I borrowed some pistols 
from my friends, loaded them carefully, and reposed my hopes 
after God, in them. 

It was half past eleven when I presented my passport at the 
Turkish, office. At sight of these the Firman was granted with- 
out delay. I now bade good-bye to my friends, without telling 
them the cause of my hurried departure^ Poor fellows ! they 
blessed and kissed me too, and theirs was not the kiss of Judas. 

Shortly after my arrival on the deck of the Austrian steam- 
boat " Conte Kollovrat," there arrived two boats, each of them 
containing seven Serezaners, whose look, arms, and gigantic 
stature, at first glance told me they were the men. 

I shudder now as I turn my remembrance to those monsters. 
Their height was about six feet, and their robustness corres- 
ponded. They were clothed almost alike, in new oriental 
costume, adapted to the severity of the season. They were 
armed with two pistols and long Janitsar knives, somewhat 
similar to cutlassess, besides Turkish scimeters and muskets, 
longer than themselves.* Their faces were the unmistakable 
embodiment of brutality and callousness — I might say of 
cruelty. When I surveyed at full length these giant monsters, 
and their bright weapons, and felt in my soul that the latter 
were sharpened and loaded to murder the best and bravest 
hearts of my nation, I confess frankly that I hardly succeeded 
to resist my evil genius, which instigated me to draw my 
revolvers, and without saying a word, shoot them down from 
the first to the last man, and afterwards give myself up, and 
die in the satisfactory consciousness that I had done my duty. 
So me thought I could tranquilly sleep the eternal sleep. But 



* Such muskets can be found only in Turkey, or among other oriental people^ 
They are remnants of the once tremendous Janitsar class. They are above six feet 
long. The ball is not forced, and the barrel is always genuine Damascus metal. 
From 800 to 1000 paces the ball is sure. 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 167 

the warnings of the old Baron, " you will be killed a dozen 
times before you could or would be useful for the purpose," 
resounded in ray spirit, and I swallowed my bitter rage. 

Before the signal was given to start, a new boat arrived of 
which the contents were, a dark looking, republican-dressed 
gentleman; also a fine looking European lady. The lady was 
assisted up to the deck, and the gentleman followed. During 
this maneuvre his cloak was blown aside, and I perceived under 
his arm a couple of the finest English pistols. Offering his 
other arm to the lady, he was escorting her to the first cabin. 
I thought him to be an Italian exile, for the Italians generally 
go in battle with their wives, pistols, and all their money in 
gold tied in a belt round their body. Had he had a horse I 
should have thought him a Hungarian for a similar reason. 
But who he was, or who he might be ! We shall see presently. 

As our course from Constantinople to Varna was about a 
hundred miles, and generally performed in from eighteen to 
twenty-four hours, I. intended to pass the night on deck, not 
only to save a few piasters, but to look out for an opportunity 
to converse with the Serezaners who also lodged on deck. 
But when we came out from the channel of the Bosphorus, we 
were saluted by the not only freezing but most stormy breath 
of the Northern bear, so that the captain thought it not ad- 
visable to press forward, but on the contrary, to return into the 
channel, and shelter ourselves during the night among its ele- 
vated and beautiful shores. 

Whoever is derirous of seeing the most enchanting landscape 
in the universe, I advice him to go and see the two banks of 
this channel. I am sure he will not scorn me for my advice. 
Indeed, when I beheld this landscape which the Almighty had 
created most beautiful, and which by gardeners, architects and 
sculptors, had been rendered most enchanting, I could have 
thought, had I not feared to offend the bounty of my Creator, 
that He was excessively good when he gave to the assassin 



168 THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 

human race so beautiful a world as this. But let us not inter- 
meddle with the work of God. 

I was consulting myself whether there was any way to gain 
a more precise knowledge of the expedition of these men. 
After considering and reflecting, but without finding any pos- 
sible mode of accomplishing my purpose, I saw the gentleman 
dressed in republican style, approach the club of the Sere- 
caners, who where seated in a circle before the bar-room of the 
Greek who was selling liquors, pipes, and tobacco to the deck 
passengers. When they perceived the new comer, they saluted 
him in a respectful manner, which was returned by the re- 
publican gentleman in the same language; that is, in Sclavonic. 
They now began to converse about the unfavorable weather, 
which would probably detain us for some days. I was much 
surprised not only on learning that this gentleman's mother- 
accent was the Sclavonic language, but also to find that they 
were connected together as was shown by the respectful manner 
in which the Serecaners treated him. I had not forgotten what 
Turaczy told me that from Vienna lately there came two police 
agents. I thought this might be one of these two. But with 
a lady, in such an affair, this was what I could not understand. 
The republican-dressed man now ordered for every man a glass 
of rakky (brandy). He also drank himself, and giving order 
to the Greek to give them as much as they wanted, he left the 
circle. I had now no doubt that this man was one of the 
Vienna agents; and taking advantage of the right to which 
every deck passenger is entitled, that is, to seat himself as near 
the liquor-seller as possible, I seated myself among the Sere- 
caners, with the express intention of making acquaintance with 
one of them. I selected for this purpose one whose more par- 
ticularly stupid physiognomy gave me hope of succeeding. The 
first thing I did, was to offer him a glass of brandy, which he 
did not decline, but offered me another. I accepted it, and so 
the first step towards friendship was taken. After some talking 
about the wheather, time, distance and voyage, I offered him a 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF, 169 

second glass. He accepted and followed my example. So we 
like two pigeons which give food to each other from their 
mouths, were going on. But in the depth of my soul a vol- 
cano was boiling. I gave with the third glass as a toast, in a 
whispering tone, lt Good luck for the game !" While I was 
emptying my glass slowly, I raised my eyes from under my hat, 
and fixed them on his face, whose changing lineaments told me 
that I had touched the chord intended. " Well, one more !" 
said I. "We must drink the glass of brotherhood!" The 
glasses came, and I gave as a second toast, " The best shot to 
you !" He looked now rather confused, and after swallowing 
the contents of his glass, said, " I do not understand you " 

"Eh, what! You don't understand me!" said I familiarly, 
but at the same time mysteriously. " Are you not going a 
hunting ?" 

He looked now in my face with such a stupid curiosity that 
I was hardly able to bear his stupid inquisitive glance. "Well !" 
said he at length, " who are you ?" 

" Who am I ? I told you when I said we were going a 
hunting. And if you wish for more, I can say more. For 
instance that the beasts which we are going to hunt are not 
four, but two-legged ! That one single skin of them will be 
worth more than the skins of all the bears and wolves of the 
Balkan!" 

He looked now sternly, but with most evident s}miptoms of 
understanding me. But he couid not decide as to whether he 
should acknowledge it or not. 

" You look sternly," said I, smiling. " But be not alarmed 
at what 1 said. I said it only in order, should we meet each, 
other elsewhere and under other circumstances, you might know 
that I am the man who shall bring within range of your shot, 
the beast whose skin is worth more to us than its weight in 
pure gold." 

Here joined us another of their number, whom I had already 
10 



170 THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 

discerned by his manner to be the chief among them. He 
asked us what was the subject of discourse ? 

The Serezaner gave no answer but looked inquiringly now 
on me and then on his chief. This gave me to understand that 
he did not entirely distrust me. I answered the chief, saying 
that we were talking about the unfavorable weather. 

A few minutes passed when the chief made a sign to my 
companion while emptying the glasses. He arose and followed 
him. 

I remained in my place, but my eyes followed them, and by 
their gesture, I could well conjecture that the chief was inquir- 
ing about what I said. 

I found now that I had gained nothing and lost much, for I 
had convicted myself of being aware of their intention. And 
as the chief would know I was not admitted into their secret by 
the Austrian ambassador, so from whatever other quarter I 
might be introduced, I should prove but a slight obstacle to 
their proceedings. They would have little scruple of conscience 
to put me out of their way, especially as there would be a 
favorable opportunity while passing over the same route from 
Varna to Schumla, which for a considerable distance runs 
through the bosom of a narrow valley. It was certainly of no 
little importance to me to trace this unlooked for misstep. How 
I effected this, the reader shall see. 

I descended the stairs of the first cabin saloon, in which I 
found the captain, the republican-dressed man, also his lady, and 
some Boyard, Wallachian nobles, at the end of the tea-table. I 
said to the captain that I was desirous of speaking to him in 
private, and he would very much oblige me by stepping aside 
a few minutes. He consented without delay, and we mounted 
on deck, the stern of which was entirely quiet. 

" Captain !" said I, when out of hearing, " will you give me 
your word of honor, that what I shall say to you, shall be a 
secret?" 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 1 7 1 

"Yes, sir! Why not?" said he. If the matter is in reality 
so important, you have my word. 

"Well, sir! I thank you. And I hope I shall not he de- 
ceived in my opinion of your character. Do you know these 
armed men on board V 

K No, sir !" was the reply. 

" Well, if you do not know them, I do. Ask me no questions 
because I am not allowed to speak. But believe, without further 
inquiry, that they are murderers, hired by the Austrian ambas- 
sador at Constantinople, aud sent to Schumla to murder Kos- 
suth and his companions. 

The captain was not a little surprised when he heard me 
speak these words boldly and firmly in an Austrian steamboat, 
to an Austrian captain. And I saw clearly that he himself 
feared I was right, though he would not believe my words. 

" It is of little importance, captain," said I, " whether you 
believe or disbelieve me. I believe it, and this is enough. 
What I have said, I said only from a desire to form, or rather 
to gain through my sincerity, a little confidence from you 
towards myself; also to request from you a trifling service, 
which shall cost you nothing." 

" What is it ?" asked he. 

Here I narrated to him how I betrayed myself through my 
rashness before these men, who making the same journey from 
Varna to Schumla, during which they being armed, and fourteen 
in number, while I was only one, might inflict a fatal blow not 
only upon me, but upon the cause for which I was bound to 
Schumla. And here I sincerely and plainly requested him to 
detain these men on board, under some pretext, for a couple of 
hours, when we should arrive at Varna, in order that I might 
get a horse and precede them so quickly that they could not 
join me. 

He said it was out of his power, and that in spite of his best 
wishes he could not do it. I looked very uneasy when I heard 



11 2 THE ASSASSINS AND MT HUMBLE SELF. 

the answer. I saw that instead of one error I had committed 
two. But there was no possibility to correct it, and I desisted, 
reminding the captain, that what I had told should remain 
secret He promised it once more, and so we separated. 

The coming night was terrible. Nature itself opposed the 
passage of these assassins. The winds and waves, like so many 
infuriated fiends, persecuted each other, while they broke on the 
rocky shores. I could not close my eyes during the whole 
night. The Serezaners also, buried in wolf's skin cloaks, were 
smoking and drinking till morning. It was about nine o'clock 
in the morning when the wind abated a little, and the captain 
gave orders to weigh anchor. 

About eleven o'clock, the mate of the steamboat came for- 
ward on the deck, and proclaimed that every one, having arms 
in his possession, should deposite them in the hands of the 
captain, as was prescribed by the maritime laws, and they 
should be returned at the landing. The Serezaners obeyed the 
order, though not with the best grace ; while I, who had my 
pistols in my pockets, thought that nobody would see them, and 
I might as well keep them. I thought the order really came 
because it was prescribed in the maritime code. 

After a few minutes, the captain made me a sign to approach 
him, and said in a low tone, " My dear sir ! You have spoken 
not without foundation, and now I am willing to agree with 
your request. I shall keep these men on board for a few hours, 
for I shall delay to hand them their arms. But do you make 
off as quick as possible." 

44 Thank you, captaiu ! I am satisfied with you," said I cor- 
dially to him. 

" They suspect you," said he. " Do not speak to them any 
more. Keep silent, and take a room in the second cabin." 
Saying so he left me. 

During our voyage, that is to say four days, because at night 
we sheltered ourselves always between two coasts, The Sere- 
zaners avoided every opportunity to speak with me, though I 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 1 73 

tried hard a couple of times. On the fourth clay, about evening, 
we entered the harbor of Varna. The captain asked me if I 
had enough money to hire two good horses, and set forth on 
this same day. I answered, yes, and he pointed to a boat, 
saying, " Step into that boat, and go on your way. God guide 
you." I was very much touched by the humanity of the 
captain, and was about to thank him. But he left no time for 
it, turning round and assuming his business. I dropped into 
the boat, and in half an hour put my feet on land. 

I went directly into the Hans, and inquired if there were a 
couple of horses to hire. But all my efforts were unsuccessful, 
for the Turks do not stir themselves or their beasts after sun 
set. I had at first only a couple of hours, that were already 
consumed. I saw the Serezaners go into a Han. The thought 
struck me, that they might start directly, and so prevent me 
while I must remain for the night. Being informed previously 
by some of my fugitive countrymen, of the humane and gen- 
erous disposition of the English consul, I presented myself, and 
requested to speak with him. But he was so ill that he was 
compelled to retire to his bed at this early hour. Yet after 
repeated and repeated entreaties, the secretary announced me, 
and I was admitted. I told him the matter, passing in silence 
the old Baron and Turaczy. He was very little disposed to 
believe my words ; and to ascertain he sent his secretary and a 
couple of spies. These returned with intelligence that caused 
him to leave his bed, and go out himself. He returned about 
nine o'clock, and said, " What you have told is true. But we 
shall prevent it. These men intend to go to-morrow, but I will 
take care to put an obstacle in their way. You shall be my 
guest to-night, and to-morrow at an early hour your horse and 
a Turk shall be ready at your service. " This is right," thought 
I, and thanked the consul who was not able to partake of our 
supper. This was the first time in my life that I had seen an 
English lady, and the impression made on my mind was, 
that she was excessively refined and exquisite. The consul 



174 THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 

handed me two letters, one for Kossuth, and the other for 
Count Battyhany. After a short nap, I was awaked by the 
Turk, who presented to me two fine English races. The reader 
may well imagine, that the poor horses had now the harder of 
my expedition. Indeed, in thirty-six hours I was in Schumla. 
The Turk who accompanied me, said I was not a good musul- 
man, for I " torment and kill the horse." He kept pace with 
me for some sixteen or twenty hours, but afterwards he was 
not able to keep up, and I left him behind. He joined me on 
the subsequent day about twelve o'clock. When I entered 
Schumla it was towards evening. As soon as I had left my 
noble horse, which had been too much hurried and abused, I 
asked for the house where Gov. Kossuth was living. Being 
told, I presented myself. In the ante-chamber I found some 
young officers, smoking their pipes leisurely, also a Turkish 
officer, and an Arab dressed entirely in red, embroidered with 
gold. I asked how it were possible for me, to speak with Kos- 
suth, and they told me that there was no difficulty, only I must 
present myself with my request, to the officer on duty. I did 
so, and was immediately admitted. 

I found the exiled Governor on his sofa in a Turkish position, 
smoking his csibouk with as much ease and "con amore," as if 
he were the happiest man on earth. On the side divans were 
seated some officers of the higher ranks, while on the sofa-table 
was a plate loaded with the choicest oranges of Asia Minor. 

After I had saluted him in our mother tongue, he looked on 
me and recognized me at once. " Oh ! my dear friend !" said 
he, " we know each other. You are welcome ; sit down and 
tell me what there is new in the city of the Grand Turk ?" 

" True, I bring some new^s Governor," said I, " but it is told 
me only on condition of communicating it to you privately. So 
if you will accord me a few minutes, I will tell it." 

" Very well," said he, rising and entering the adjoining room 
making me a sign to follow him. 



THE ASSASSINS AND MY HUMBLE SELF. 1?5 

When we were alone he pointed to me to sit on sofa beside 
hirn, but I deemed it an honor I had not deserved. So I seat- 
ed myself in a chair opposite him. And here I related to him 
the whole story, as I have told it to the reader, adding that I 
thought it best to make him acquainted with every little cir- 
cumstance which might have any bearing whatever on the mat- 
ter, that I had rather a thick head for finding out the true 
thread of plots and intrigues. He thanked me very heartily, 
and afterwards said that the news for him was as cheering as 
unpleasant — cheering, because it showed that the tyrant was 
afraid of being punished through his instrumentality for his 
thousand sacrilegious crimes by which he trampled upon the 
life and heart of the Hungarian nation. " And unpleasant," 
said he, " because I feel very little disposed to die by the pon- 
iards of assassins." I also handed him the letter from the En- 
glish consul. After reading this he said, " No doubt there is 
hidden here something serious, but we cannot yet see with 
certainty what it may be. I shall think the matter over to 
night. And now if you are not very tired go and inform Count 
Battyhany, General Meszaros and Dembinszky. Afterwards, 
come back, for you shall be my guest during your stay in 
Schumla. 

Such was my third interview with the noble Governor of 
my brave, but down-trodden nation. 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 



; Eternal spirit of the chainless mind ! 
Brightest in dungeons, liberty thou art ; 
For there thy habitation is the heart — 
The heart, which love of thee alone combined !' 



On the following day I was summoned to Kossuth. He said 
to me, that as there were no evident proofs of the intention of 
these armed men, so as to bring the matter before the tribunal 
of the world, it were not only useless, but to our enemies a 
source of ridiculing us. His ad vice, therefore, was to keep silence, 
and not to tell for what reason I came from Constantinople, but 
at the same time to keep a sharp eye upon these fellows, if they 
should arrive, and above all to find out where they take lodg- 
ings, with whom they converse, and what they are doing. He 
said also, that he on his part should not fail to make such an 
arrangement, that in case they should attempt a desperate at- 
tack, they would find their men. 

I promised to comply with these requests, and accordingly I 
rode out a few miles to spy whether the) 7 are coming or not. I 
came in good time; for at hardly eight miles distance I saw 
two Turkish wagons approach, and in one of them I recognized 
the republican dressed man with his pretty lady — as I termed 
her — and in the other wagon, three of the Serezaners, one of 
them being the chief, whose name I learned while yet in the 
steamboat, to be Davidovich. What I could not understand 
was, where the other eleven were. I followed them at a re- 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 177 

spectful distance, so as not to let them observe that I was on an 
errand concerning their cause, also so as not to be recognized, 
although I was disguised as far as garments may disguise a man. 

On their arrival the gentleman and lady put up at a house, 
where as I learned the Austrian Consul, Mr. Reszler, resided, 
the very person who provided me at Rustsuk with new finnans. 
The three Serezaners entered the Han opposite the residence 
of Gov. Kossuth, whom I faithfully informed about the matter. 

On the following day I entered the coffee bouse which was 
situated in the centre of the yard belonging to the Han, where 
the Serezaners took their lodgings. I found all three here, sit- 
ting and smoking their pipes. The chief on seeing me, was a 
little surprised, but I with frankness wished him good morning, 
and shook hands with him, though I felt a chill pass through 
my heart. There were some thirty or forty subaltern officers 
of the scattered Hungarian army, reporting odd stories from 
the recent war so fresh in their memory ; fresh because it was 
every day, every hour, and every minute renewed, by the out- 
poured blood of their parents, brothers, sisters and relations. 

Now a stranger entered the room with the question, Boys ! 
do you know what is the news ? This question was put in such 
a loud tone, and with stentorial declamation that it arrested the 
attention of every one present. And while a few voices cried 
out, " No ! what is it ? Let us know !" the eyes of the whole 
assembly was fixed on him with an expression evincing that 
they were in a situation where news of whatever kind, might 
alleviate, but could not render worse their condition. 

" Madame Koyats is arrived from Hungary," said the new 
comer. 

" Is that all ?" asked several at once. 

" Is it not enough, said the new comer, when a lady braves 
danger and comes to join her husband in exile, danger, and 
sufferings and perils. Indeed ! this is such a wife as is described 
10* 



178 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

in Holy Writ, " Where thou goest I will go, thy people shall 
be my people, and thy God shall be my God." 

" But how did she succeed to come out from Hungary ?" 
asked one of those sitting by. 

" Why ! this is the substance of the matter. She probably 
entreated Mr. Jazmagy with tears and prayers, and at last the 
heart of the Austrian spy was moved, and he undertook the 
liberation of the lady." 

" Or probably he was moved by another hundred gold pieces, 
as was the case with Count Stephen Battyhany, Alexander 
Makay, and others," remarked one dryly. 

" No matter how, enough that she is now here. Major Ko- 
vats is only half as unhappy as he was. Enough that he was 
assisted in carrying out her escape by Mr. Jazmagy, and accom- 
panied from Hungary to Constantinople, and from thence yes- 
terday to this place." 

" Well thought I on hearing this conversation," who else 
could the lady be, if not the one whom I saw yesterday come 
with the republican dressed man ? And who can this man be 
if not Mr. Jazmagy as they call him ? At all events, thought 
I, it is advisable to inform the Governor about the matter. 

Now the discourse of those assembled was transferred to Jaz- 
magy. One said he was a scoundrel, a ruffian, a spy, — another, 
a money making man — a third, a good-hearted fellow, who at 
his own risk had already liberated some exiles; that, is helped 
them by false passports into the great world, for which he had 
paid himself very richly. 

I spoke not a word, and nobody guessed that I was a Hun- 
garian. But when the debate upon the character of Jazmagv 
was finished, I went to the house of Gov. Kossuth. Entering 
the ante-chamber, I requested the officer on duty to announce 
me, but he told me to wait a few minutes as there was a lady in. 

I waited not long there, w T hen the door opened, and to my 
great surprise, I beheld the lady whom we saw in the steam- 
boat with the republican dressed man. Kossuth following her 



MT PRISON AND FLIGHT. 179 

to the door-way, bade her good bye very courteously, when I 
entered his room, I asked hiin, " who is this lady ?" 

" The wife of Mayor Kovats," answered he. 

" And who is Mayor Kovats ?" asked I. 

" He is our countryman and fellow exile. He had no time 
when he fled from Hungary to take her with him, and she has 
secretly arrived from Hungary." 

"Well sir 1" said I, " this is the very same lady who came 
with me in the steamboat, in the company of the man whom I 
called the republican-dressed, and who spoke in Sclavonic with 
the Serezaners, and who treated them to brandy, and who ac- 
cording to the letter of the English Consul at Yarna, paid their 
expenses, hired wagons for them, and who at last arrived yester- 
day in the same carriage with this lady. She is no other than 
the one whom I called the pretty lady. " 

" It might all be true," said the Governor. She told me the 
whole story. That is that she was assisted in her escape by an 
Austrian agent, and accompanied here by the same agent. 

" Do you know this agent ?" asked I. 

" I heard something about him, but never spoke with, nor 
saw him." 

"May I ask the motive of Madame Kovats' visit?" I asked 
the Governor. 

" Oh yes !" said he, " She was paying a visit, and informed 
me that the same gentleman who rescued her from Hungary, is 
very anxious to rescue us from Turkey, and bring us to the 
shores of free America." 

" And what was your answer ?" asked I. 

" I said that I was very much obliged for his kind and gen- 
erous sympathy, but at the same time must beg him not to 
trouble himself on our account." 

" AYell Governor !" said I, " Are you able to catch a single 
glance, and see the course and purpose of this labyrinth ?" 

"Hardly my dear friend. But did you not say that the old 
Baron and Turaczy told you to entreat me, to persuade me to 
desert ?" 



180 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

"Yes sir!" 

" And that they would furnish us with passports if you would 
write them ?" 

"Yes sir!" 

"I can conjecture something, but this matter is very uncer- 
tain. So it is better not to speak about it. All we can do is 
to keep a sharp look out for these fellows." 

" I do not fail to do so," said I. 

" Well ! I trust you and I am obliged." 

So I left the Governor. On the subsequent day he received 
a letter from the English consul at Yarna, in which this gen- 
tleman informed him, that he had exerted all the means in his 
power to detain these Serezaners. Accordingly he had de- 
nounced them to the local Turkish authority, as an armed baDd, 
which were suspected from reliable sources, of having pernicious 
purposes. But the Austrian consul protested against their de- 
tention, alleging that they were Austrian subjects, and provid- 
ed with passports by the same authority. So that the English 
consul could not prevent them from coming to Schumla, and 
warned Kossuth to take every precaution to meet and confront 
perhaps a most desperate attempt, such as owing to Turkish in- 
ertness are so frequent in the Sultan's empire. 

After five or six days, also, he received letters from Baron 
Tecco, the Piedmontese, from Sir Stratford Canning, the English 
Ambassador, as well as from the Porte. These informed him 
that while they should make every effort in their power to 
thwart a malicious plot, which, as there was reason to suspect, 
was laid against his person, he on his part should do his best 
to avoid, or prevent the unfortunate collision. For should it 
take place, there was involved the honor of the Porte, and the 
honor of all the powers who undertook to be responsible for 
his safety. 

The civil and military commandants also of Schumla, receiv- 
ed orders warning them, on penalty of death, to keep in safety 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 181 

the life of Kossuth and his companions, and commanding them 
to arrest and expel from Schumla these Serezaners. 

These letters and orders from the Porte caused trouble in the 
mind of the city Commandants. They ordered the Serezaners 
to be arrested, and to leave the town. But the Austrian con- 
sul, Mr. Reszler, protested against this procedure, and alledged 
that these men came into Schumla, for the security of his life, 
which was in danger from the exiles, and he took them into his 
own house. 

The plot now was not only entirely discovered, but prevent- 
ed. Two companies of Infantry were ordered to guard Kos- 
suth, and the Serezaners were no more to be seen outside the 
doors of the Austrian consul. 

Three weeks passed without any change, when a new and 
perhaps a more dangerous plot gave indications of its existence. 

The reader knows well that sufferings, bitterness, uncertainty, 
may soon break down or shatter the character of frail mortals. 
This was the case, and perhaps is yet to this day with some of 
my brave, but in adversity not sufficiently strong, countrymen. 
The Austrian consul, Mr. Reszler, and his spies, very naturally 
did not fail to turn to their advantage these characters, which 
tottering and hallucinating, undecisive, and wavering under the 
mania of the moral and spiritual paroxims, could perpetrate a 
deed at the artful and well timed instigations and promises of 
the diplomatic scoundrels— a deed which at first promised them 
heaven and happiness, but as soon as it was done rendered them 
the most miserable beings on earth. I like to believe that such 
was the mental condition of my countrymen, when they with- 
out resentment hearkened to the words of one of their fellow 
officers who said, that if they would shoot Kossuth they 
would not only receive an amnesty, but a reward too from the 
Austrian government. For he said, the Austrian government 
well knew that they, being infatuated and misguided by Kos- 
suth, were not guilty. And he declared himself ready to strike 
the blow, if he should find a party strong enough to face the 



182 MY FRISON AND PLIGHT. 

men, who all the while still depended with servile affection upon 
Kossuth. On the other hand the reader may imagine the 
situation of Kossuth, when such words could be spoken in pres- 
ence of twenty or thirty of his countrymen with impunity. 
The gentleman, who uttered this praise-worthy ( ?) language 
was engaged in the Hungarian army as courier, with the rank 
of first lieutenant, by name Pollack, and by birth a Jew. He 
spoke thus against Kossuth, who labored day and night, year 
after year for the emancipation of his race. And he spoke for 
the Austrian government^ who made his race pay for the very 
privilege of breathing the air, or treading upon the earth. In- 
deed, I am at a great loss to know whether the liberal govern- 
ment of Kossuth, or the despotism of Austria is more becom- 
ing for such kind of people. 

Kossuth was informed by Capt. Danes Kosztolany and first 
lieutenant Lonyi. All three now in America. And as it had 
already been observed that Mr. Pollack was in the habit of pay- 
ing secret and frequent visits to the Austrian consul, it was sup- 
posed that the stormy wind came from this quarter. So the mili- 
tary commandant of the Hungarian exiles, Colonel Kabos, gave 
orders to bring Pollack before him. But Pollack being informed 
of this, sheltered himself in the house of the Austrian consul ; 
which, being a consular residence, was for this reason an asylum 
not to be entered ; or if entered by force, such enter would be- 
come a " casus belli' 1 — so the military commandant turned him- 
self to the pashas, demanding of them to arrest and hand over 
Pollack. But the Austrian consul found enough pretexts, rights, 
and articles of agreement, to decline the request as well to the 
Porte as to the Hungarian authority. 

When this event was related to me, I felt uneasy and heart- 
sick because I did not think any of my countrymen were men 
who flatter and idolize while in prosperity, and in adversity 
connive at every injustice and injury to the character or person 
of the man who was elected by our unanimous vote, Governor 



MY PEISON AND FLIGHT. 183 

of the nation. And I said, that if Pollack had spoken these 
words in my presence, I would have reprimanded him as such 
a man deserves. 

Some ten or twelve days passed, and the talk about the Se- 
rezaners and Pollack became silent. The latter was never to 
be seen in the street, and the former very seldom. I was now 
about to leave Schumla, when lieutenant Lonyi came to me in 
a coffee house, where I was sitting with some of my country- 
men, and in a wisper said to me, " well Bardy, if you are such 
a brave fellow as you profess to be, there is Pollack in a grocery 
store, arrest him if you dare V The reader may imagine that 
such an appeal as this must ring in the soul of a man, if he 
has a bit of manliness. I said not a word, but putting aside 
my coffee and pipe, requested him to show me the store. He 
did so; on my entrance I saw two of the Serezaneis evidently 
waiting for a gentleman, whom I for that very reason thought 
to be the man for whom I was looking. I approached him 
and asked, " What is your name f 

"I am Captain Pollack," was the answer. 

" And I am Bardy — and Captain Pollack cr Bardy shall die." 
Here I pointed my revolver to his head, and drew another, in 
case the Serezaners should attempt to resist. He began to 
speak, but he saw that to continue it would bring the worst. 
Accordingly he obeyed, confounded and astonished so as to be 
scarcely able to walk en his trembling legs. 

He entreated me to take him to Gov. Kossuth, and he would 
confess all sincerely. I doubted not that this was the best time 
to hear him, and agreed to his request. But the Governor 
was not willing to see him, much less to speak with him ; and 
briefly said that it was not his business, but that of the military 
commander to settle with him. So our friend Pollack was 
handed over to Colonel Kabos, who ordered him to be locked 
up for further examination, which was to take place before a 
mixed commission of Turks and Hungarians. 



184 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

Pollack was interrogated in a rather harsh manner, by Col. 
Kabos, for what reason he was induced to hold such language 
as he did ? He answered, that he was very anxious to go back 
to Hungary, as he had there au aged mother without any sup- 
port. He said he requested of the Austrian consul an amnes- 
ty. The consul encouraged him to hope, but at the same time 
instructed him to spread dissension among the Hungarian exiles 
and excite them against Kossuth. He guarantied to Pollack 
that under such circumstances the amnesty would not fail. He 
said moreover he had been ready to shoot Kossuth, but had 
never done it. The poor fellow was so debased that I myself 
pitied him. 

On the following day about dusk the report was spread that 
Pollack had escaped. The two sergeants ordered to watch him 
were intoxicated. What was more natural than that he shel- 
tered himself in the house of the Austrian consul ? 

At this intelligence my long-suppressed rage — the restrained 
bitterness and hate so naturally felt against every Austrian em- 
ployee, and so justly against Mr. Reszler, broke out like a vol- 
cano. I said, " How long shall Mr. Reszler shelter the mur- 
derers and assassins in his own house ? And how long shall we 
suffer it ? Not a minute more — whoever is a Hungarian and 
has courage to meet the assassins in their own nest, let him fol- 
low me. " Saying this publicly, I left the room accompanied 
by seven of my countrymen. I had then rather a quixotic inten- 
tion to enter the house of the consul, and at the pistol's mouth 
compel hitn to give up Pollack, whose testimony before the 
Turkish authority would unquestionably establish the fact that 
the Austrain consul and his companions were sent into Schumla 
by the government, not for any other purpose than to take the 
life of Kossuth by any means whatever. 

As we approached the house of the consul one of my coun- 
trymen, Lieut. Bako, said to me, " Here, this is the vice consul 
of Austria," pointing to a man who came down directly oppo- 
site to us. 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 185 

" So much the better," said I, " we will arrest him and detain 
him as an hostage, till his principal shall hand over Pollack." 
And accordingly I met him and asked, " are you the Austrian 
vice consul ?" 

" At your service," was the ironical reply, probably being en- 
couraged by the Serezaner who followed him. 

"I do not want your service, but I want your honorable body, 
if you resist I assure you, you will find the worst. Now come." 

" Where V 

" No matter — come along, or we will bring you, which will 
not be a very pleasant way of riding, I assure you !" 

"He made a sign to the Serezaner who put himself on guard.' 
But at my first word, " disarm the dog," he was deprived quick- 
er than I can tell it, of his pistol, sword, and knife, and jumped 
into the river near the road. 

The vice consul, whom I seized by his collar to prevent him 
from jumping also into the river, thought it best for him to 
obey, and he did so. I brought him before Kossuth. This act 
was the most careless in my whole conduct. 

The reader may well imagine that when I presented the 
consul to Kossuth, asking him to give orders to detain him till 
Pollack should be delivered up, he was not only surprised, but 
in fact angry with me. And casting a contemptuous glance 
on the consul said, " Col. Ashot h ! you will be good enough to 
order a Turkish guard, twenty-four strong to escort this man 
home in safety." 

When I heard this from the Governor, I did not know where 
I was standing. But no sooner was the vice consul removed 
than Kossuth made me a speech which I shall never forget* 
He said, " You accuse other people of being assassins, while in 
fact your conduct in a manner shows the world that you your- 
self are one." He said, not without excitement, " In such 
way you compromise me." But this admonition which was 
very true, instead of bringing me to my senses made me worse. 
I had concluded that I must have Pollack, not because I feared 



186 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

him, but because I knew that if the Austrian consul should 
have the better of this game, it would encourage him. He 
could hire a desperate man who would not speak as Pollack 
did, but would act, being secured from the hand of the law, 
and of every person, if once in the house of the Austrian con- 
sul. And we went back, with the intention of having Pollack 
at whatever price. 

Arriving at the door of the consul's house, we found it closed. 
I knocked, but no answer. I knocked harder, but the door was 
not opened. My friend Bako took up a club and foiced the 
door which partially yielded to the violence. 

A ball now came through the simple pine door slightly 
wounding my friend in his left arm. It was followed by a 
second — a third, till seven had passed. Of course if we had 
fronted the door, we should not have survived to this day. I 
pushed my friend to the side to shelter himself behind the door- 
column, while I myself performed the same manoeuvre on the 
opposite side. At last the shooting ceased, and we heard a 
voice inside. I had not so far lost my presence of mind as to 
enter ; for being no noviciate in such affairs, I knew well he who 
enters is dead, before he can see the hand that strikes. I 
waited in hope that they would come out, but they two seemed 
to know that the man who comes out is dead before he sees the 
hand that strikes him. Waiting in rain a few minutes, I told 
my friend — all the others having fled at the first shot — to retire 
cautiously out of range of the shooting. We did so. The 
house was upon a hill and when I came down to the yard gate 
I looked back and saw the consul in the window of the first 
story. I shouted to him in Italian, " We did not come with 
such ill will as you return us. We came only to demand Pol- 
lack, who by the confession of his own lips threatened death 
to the man, who is the hope and faith of our whole nation. If 
you refuse to surrender him, don't wonder if before the whole 
world I declare you a protector and patron of the assassin, and 
an assassin yourself." Scarcely had I uttered the last word 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 187 

when the report of a gun and the whistling of the ball told me 
that here was no time to bandy words. I threw myself instan- 
taneously through a fence, and was out of reach of the next 
gunshot. 

Infuriated at our unsuccessful attempt, I declared willingly 
to give up my life if I could only have Pollack. 

The next day, after a sleepless night, the Governor summon- 
ed me. When I presented myself, he reproved me again and 
told me to go with his dragoman to Halim Pasha, the military, 
and Mohamed Pasha, the civil commanders, and explain to them 
how matters stood, letting them know the reason for which I 
left Constantinople. I did so, and frankly told them it was 
their fault that the Austrian consul disdained to regard their 
orders. The Pashas — that is, three of them — after asking if I 
were not wounded, highly praised me, touching my shoulder 
with their hands, and baying, "Ei kardacs Peki kardacs," which 
means in the Turkish language, " Yery well brother." I re- 
turned to Kossuth and informed him what the Pashas said to 
me. " Well," said he, " you may be thankful if the matter 
shall end so. For you know that the violation of a diplomatic 
person, or his house, is a great political crime here in Turkey. 
Now I advise you to go back to Constantinople, for owing to 
your unfortunate temper, you might here meet a melancholy 
end. T will write some letters, and if you please, you may go 
to-morrow. 

But alas ! To-morrow I was summoned to Colonel Kabos, 
where I found the greatest part of the refugees assembled. Here 
I was informed that I was claimed prisoner by the Turkish au- 
thority, for the offence committed yesterday. It was vain that 
I asserted this matter was settled between me and the three 
Pashas yesterday, who not only acquitted, but commended me. 
Colonel Kabos said that there was this morning a written order 
from these very Pashas conjuring him to hand me over to the 
Turkish authority. I knew well that this order came at the 
instigation of the Austrian consul. There was every reason to 



188 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

believe that if the consul succeeded in changing the minds of 
the Pashas, so that they sent orders entirely opposite to what 
they twenty-four hours before had said, he would succeed still 
further in retaining me in a Turkish prison, until he could have 
opportunity to put his hand upon me, — in other words to hang 
me. Accordingly I said I would resist being arrested, and 
whoever should attempt it he or I must die. For I preferred 
death to an Austrian prison, as the Turkish prison would be. 

They told me that Gov. Kossuth was charged by the Aus- 
trian consul, with having advised, or hired me to assault the 
consul and his house, and that the whole body of exiles are 
declared to be in mutiny against his sacred person. Moreover 
that these charges could not be refuted otherwise, than by giv- 
ing myself up willingly, and before a lawful body, giving the 
motives which actuated me in doing as I did. They promised 
to control the proceedings, and not allow any serious injury to 
befall me. 

I told them the Pashas knew already the reasons for my con- 
duct — that there was no other purpose in my arrest than to 
keep me in prison till the Austrian consul should have an op- 
poitunity to lay his hand upon my head. And, I repeated, 
that for the same reason I would resist my arrest till death. 

At last they told me that the honor of the Governor, the 
reputation of the exiles, absolutely demanded my surrender in 
order to make in a lawful way, a lawful explanation of the 
matter. 

I could not resist this appeal, and I said, " Well ! If my ar- 
rest is requested to exonerate the calumniated character of the 
Governor and the reputation of my countrymen, I am ready, 
not only for prison but for the gallows. I give myself up. 
But remember what I say. My arrest will not exonerate the 
Governor, nor add to your reputation, but will bring me to an 
Au.-trian gallows. For they have a little interest in making me 
for ever silent about the matter which brought me here. Re- 
member that in spite of your best wishes, you will have no 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 189 

power to save me. But I shall save myself." SayiDg this, I 
put my pistols and papers on the table. 

Some of those present were deeply affected at this scene. I 
saw a bright tear sparkle in their eyes. I saw their down cast 
faces as Mayor Brick approached me and said, " Do not des- 
pair. Should weleave such a man as you, a prey to Austrian 
tyranny, we should be unworthy to be called Hungarians. This 
noble and hearty sympathy of my brave countrymen lighted 
up the darkness of my dungeon, now opened before me. 

The Turkish officer who was in attendance upon my humble 
self was now introduced, and also I was introduced to him by 
the single words, " This is Bardy." He told me he had orders 
from the Pasha to arrest me, and if I resisted, to shoot me. I 
bowed to him, saying, that I was at his service. He made a 
sign to those outside, and summoned me to follow him. As 
I was coming out, I found myself amidst twenty-four bay- 
onets, whose bearers glanced at me with terrible eyes. For in 
Turkey a man can be a prisoner only for certain high crimes: 
uttering oaths against Mohammed or the Sultan, theft, murder, 
and adultery. And the prisoner can not look for compassion. 
He is condemned in the heart and soul of every musulman. 

They presented me to the colonel, who welcomed me with 
these words "Bu Adam scok fena Adam." (Bad man ! very bad 
man !") He ordered me to a place where I could have no words 
with Austrians, 

Accordingly I was conducted among bayonets, into a room 
in the barracks on the first floor. Here I found another officer 
with his head buried in the folds of his cloak, and a stick in his 
hand, with which he pointed to some straw in a corner, saying, 
" Otur orda" (sit down there). But 1 had very little inclina- 
tion to sit down, and was beginning to walk back and forth op- 
posite him. I observed that he was displeased with my dis- 
obedience. 

The door was not closed, in spite of the severest cold ; for it 
was January the 19th, when I was arrested. It was guarded 



190 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

iuside by two sergeants with Turkish cirueters, and outside by 
two corporals with muskets and bayonets, besides the officers^ 
I saw from this that I was considered a greater criminal than I 
really could have been. 

I am little willing to annoy my readers with the description 
of my prison, or the suffering to which I was subjected ; still 
less am I disposed to enumerate the torments enjoined by the 
rules of the prophet. I simply remark that I waited patiently 
two weeks, but nobody came to ask me why I was there, or to 
bring me a spark of hope. I was not surprised, for I antici- 
pated all that, but when the order arrived from Constantinople 
that Kossuth and fifteen others of the leaders should leave 
Schumla, and remove to Kutahaja, designated by European di- 
plomacy as their residence, I saw then, that these could have 
no more control over my safety, and that the Austrian consul 
would become my master in every sense. 

Kossuth and the other Hungarian chiefs did every thing in 
their power, and all they thought lawful, to bring me before a 
mixed commission, or send me to Constantinople, where I could 
explain myself, and if guilty be punished accordingly, and if 
not, be restored to liberty. But the Austrian consul found 
means and ways to hinder this step till Kossuth and the others 
were ordered to leave Schumla. 

They had gone and I remained in my prison. I waited pa- 
tiently in the firm determination that should they take me back 
to Austria, I would kill one or two of them, and die in this 
transaction. But I infinitely abhored the thought of affording 
to these lowest people of the world , Austrian officers , the plea- 
sure of witnessing my hanging. Indeed I was, and am to this 
day so exasperated against these soul-less monsters, that, were 
my life their gift, I would not accept it for a single minute. 

I waited five, six and seven weeks, when I began to feel my- 
self weary. The cold had not permitted me to take off' my 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 101 

boots and garments.'* The wind blew from every side, through 
the window filled with paper instead of glass. The cold ice- 
water, the frozen meals, f the thousands and thousands of ver- 
min which the Mahometan does not allow to be killed, in the 
straw bed. Such an amount of suffering would break down 
the strength of a beast, much more of a man. All brought 
on a sickness, and on the ninth week of my captivity I was 
transferred to the hospital, located among Mussulmen, and at- 
tended by a Turkish physician. His operations, and the room 
which was as little fit for a sick man, as the prison was for a 
healthy man, left me very little hope of life. 

When the remnants of the Hungarians at Schumla became 
aware of my awful condition, they made every effort to relieve 
me. But their good, noble, and humane efforts were thwarted 
by the intrigues of the Austrian consul. He, from what 
source I know not, became aware that I was not one of the 
Hungarians who came with Kossuth from Hungary, and con- 
sequently not entitled to the protection promised to Kossuth 
and his followers; that I had come into Schumla with false 
passports, and violated the sanctity of the vice-consul's person 
and his house, the fortress of his sacred self. And he claimed 
me as an Austrian deserter and an assassin against his person 
and house. And when this claim was denied by the pashas, 
he brought the matter before the Divan at Constantinople. 

My condition became more serious from day to day, and I 
was not only ready to die, but was glad to dwell on the thought 
that a natural death should prevent my suicide or my being 
violently and ignominiously killed to the great delight of the 
Austrian government. But that I am not dead, nor hanged, 
the reader may know from the title of this book, for I write 
these lines in the year of grace, 1854. How did I succeed in 



* The Turks sleep always in their garments, only the shawls and pistols are 
put aside. 

t The Turks never eat warm meals. 



192 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

extricating myself from this critical condition ? This remains for 
me to inform my readers. 

The strength of my rather youthful age, the habit of ex- 
periencing dangers and sufferings, the consciousness that I was 
right, and perhaps the kindly thought of approaching death, 
prevailed against my malady. And when conscious, I found 
myself ainong Hungarians and Poles, also lying sick in the 
hospital. They told me it was now about one week since I 
was brought to this room at the request of all the Hungarian 
exiles, whom Feyk Bey, a noble Turk, was unable to resist 
when they celebrated the anniversary of the declaration of 
Hungarian independence, the 15th of the month of April. I 
was constantly guarded by two soldiers, without arms. A 
sentinel was also posted for my special honor before the door. 
The physician, an Italian by birth, and by name " Fontana," 
informed me that the matter looked rather serious with me. 
He was very doubtful while I was in the mania of my sickness 
whether it were not better to send me to the other world, than 
cure me for the hangman. He too was an exile, not from 
Italy but from Hungary. When the revolution broke out he 
found himself in Hungary, as I was in Itaty, both in the 
delightful service of Austria ! But he said to me, " You now 
are aware of your position. As soon as you shall gain strength, 
you must use it for your best." I understood him. He meant 
desert. But how desert? Watched by two soldiers, without 
strength or pistols, without money or passports, I was scarcely 
able to turn myself from one side to the other. 

Among the Hungarians was Major Joseph Brick, and Captain 
Salkowszky, who felt a deep and true concern at my unjust 
persecution. They did every thing to restore me to liberty. 
But in spite of their energetic endeavors, they did not succeed. 
On the contrary the Divan agreed to the claim of the Austrian 
consul. 

It was the 9th of May, when Dr. Fontana informed me, that 
if I did not desert, I should be handed over to the Austrian 



MY PRISON AND M5T FLIGHT. 193 

consul. He told me he was already urged to allow me to leave 
the hospital, but s;tid that I was not strong enough to give up 
medicine. He hoped I would use this opportunity. ISal- 
kowszky also came, and entreated me to desert, promising that 
he would escort me, and faithfully share my fate. At last we 
all concluded that I must escape. But in what manner? was 
the question of questions. 

On the following day I informed my fellow countrymen, 
and the Poles of my threatening situation. I told them that 
there was only one way to save myself, and ti.is was flight; 
and there was only one way to cany it out. That was, when 
the sentinels for a moment should turn their eyes away from my 
bed, one of them should get in, cover himself and remain 
tranquilly till evening, and then leave the bed as unperceived 
as he entered it. Also that some one of them should lend me 
his garments, because mine were taken away from me, when I 
entered the hospital, as a sure guarantee to render my desertion 
impossible. As to garments, there was no difficulty, for every 
one was ready to give me these, little caring if he himself should 
remain entirely without. But as to taking my place, there was 
no one among the forty six Hungarians and Poles willing to 
run the risk and the danger, which would come if the ma- 
noeuvre was detected. I endeavored to persuade them, but no 
one was disposed. Seeing that the intended desertion was im- 
practicable for lack of courage in my countrymen, I gave it up. 
But a young Pole, about nineteen or twenty years old, asked 
what was the matter; for he did not understand the Hungarian 
language. Being informed, he said he would gladly occupy 
my place. I looked on him, but his youthful, though well- 
developed face, gave me little hope of his being able to perform 
the theatrical scene. I pitied him, for I knew that if he should 
be detected the Turks would have little mercy on him. I 
communicated to him my fears; but he said smiling, '* You do 
not know me. Be quiet, accept my service, and you shall see 
that I shall evade the vigilant eyes of these Turks ai skillfully 
11 



194 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

as any other man" His name was Marhowszky,* descendant 
of one of the richest families in Poland. The cause of Hungary 
had made him leave his father, mother and fatherland, and 
come to the battle-field. By his personal courage and behavior 
he attained the rank of first lieutenant, and received three 
honorable wounds, one of which on his foot, too quickly, and 
only partially cured, was now troubling him again. This was 
the reason why he was at this time in the hospital. 

When I saw he was decided, in what he said, and there was 
absolutely no other person willing to undertake this singular 
task, I accepted his offer repeated with earnestness. 

We were now on the alert. No sooner were the eyes of the 
sentinels turned aside, filling and lighting their pipes, than my 
young friend was in my bed, and I in the corner of the room 
which was separated by a linen screen from the rest of the 
appartraent. I never dressed myself so quickly as dow. 
Putting on a cloak, and throwing the right of it on my left 
shoulder, and round to my neck in such a manner as to cover 
my face to my nose, and throwing a white hat with a red 
feather over my eyes, in heavy boots with clinking spurs, I 
marched out, like a most superb hero. The sentinel in the 
door, also the double sentinel before the principal entrance, 
thought me to be one of the Hungarian or Polish visitors, and 
laughed heartily at my being enveloped like an Egyptian 
mummy. But I thought, " My dear friends, you will not 
laugh if it shall be discovered that I deserted between you." I 



* I wai deeply grieved, and am to this day, by the melancholy fate of this young 
man. Had he been surrounded by honest people, who would have rightly guided 
his noble heart and brave soul, instead of abusing his generous disposition, he 
could and would have become a Bern, a Kosciusko, or a Puuyatowszky. But here 
in America — iu N<»w York— falling into the hands of some ruffians, who seemed 
faithful companions, till the hundreds and hundreds of dollars he periodically re- 
ceived from his parents, were spent, he was at last not only left alone, without mo- 
ney, but being ridiculed and insulted by them, the noble fellow became exasperated 
and »hot himself 1 Poor fellow I He never spoke to me of his mother or sisters 
without tears in hi» eyes, and used to »ay, " They suffer more for my sake than I 
fbr tbelri." 



MT PRISON AND FLIGHT. 195 

was sorry for them, knowing they would be horribly punished. 
I hastened my steps to the lodgings of my friend Salkowszky, 
but the short distance which I must traverse before reaching 
this place, told me I should not be able to walk far. 

Our first care was to cut off my long hair, moustache and 
beard. Providing ourselves with some victuals for the journey, 
we started immediately. Very naturally we marched not along 
the road but through the field, for fear of being joined by our 
persecutors in case my desertion was discovered. 

After walking half an hour or less, I fell down entirely ex- 
hausted. In another half hour, while my friend was going to 
the next village to hire a horse with his last gold piece, my 
legs were miserably swollen. My friend arrived with an aged 
Turk who led a meagre horse. They helped me on horseback. 
I assure the reader that this ride was not a pleasant one. We 
traveled four days, and slept four nights on the fields, or in the 
woods. At last we arrived in the neighborhood of Varna. 
Being already acquainted with this country and town, I in- 
formed my friend that, if we entered the gate to which our 
course brought us — that is, the one leading from the country 
into the city — they would ask for our passports as they had 
always done. But if we made a turn round the town, and 
entered the gate on the gulf side, we might pass without pass- 
ports. For at this gate passports are demanded twice every 
week, that is when the steamboat arrives from Constantinople. 
But alas ! In spite of our precautions we were stopped in the 
door, and asked for passports. Of course we could not present 
any. So we were conducted by some five or six cavasses — 
policemen — into the watch-house. Here presented himself 
a dervish — a Turkish priest — and drawing from his shawl 
a piece of paper, he commenced a silent examination of the 
same and of myself. I had no doubt that this was the descrip- 
tion of my beloved self. When he at last finished the operation, 
(the reader may surmise that this was rather a ticklish matter 
for me,) he said, pointing to me with his finger, " Bu adam ! M 



196 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

(This is the man !) Scarcely had he uttered these words, when 
two or three of the cavasses sprang on my left and right, and 
held me fast by my arms and clothes, saying that the devil 
himself should not take me from their hands ! I was escorted 
or rather carried into the yard of the pasha's house, who deigned 
to send down his dragoman to question me. I thought there 
was yet a spark of hope, and this was if I could appeal to the 
English consul, who knew me, and knew the motive which 
brought me to Schumla. I thought he might be able to do 
something in my behalf. So I did not give my name, but 
said that I was a Hungarian exile, and wished to go to Con- 
stantinople, to find some work, as many had done before me, 
who without molestation, though without passports had passed 
Yarna and reached Constantinople. I stated further that I had 
already been in Constantinople, and came from there to Varna 
and Schumla with passports, which was well known to the 
English consul, and I claimed my liberty. 

But the pasha answered that if the English consul should 
recognize me as a British subject, I should be set free. But 
for this nigbt, I and my friend must remain in his custody. 
He promised that next morning he would let the English con- 
sul come. 

We were taken to the watch-house in the yard surrounded by 
walls, high enough to render it impossible to mount it in such 
a state of health as I was. But this was not enough. We 
were watched by six athletic cavasses. 

We found in the watch-house two of our countrymen. I did 
not know them, but my friend did. And I being extremely 
tired threw myself on the floor, and listened to the following 
discourse among them. 

" Why ! Captain Salkowszky ! How comes this that you are 
here in the same category as ourselves ?" said one of the young 
men. 

" My friend !" said Salkowszky, " I was going to put you the 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 197 

same question, and as you saw how I came here, you need no 
answer. But I did not see how you came. Tell me." 

"Well, Sir! like yourself," was the answer. And he con- 
tinued, " We have been already in this city, about eight 
days. Arriving, we were taken before the Pasha, and finding 
us without passports, he told us to look for work, and keep 
quiet. We found work, and labored tranquilly. But last night 
some body knocked on the door of the house where we lodged, 
and seized and brought us here. We do not know ourselves what 
may be the upshot of all this." 

" Well !" said the other, " I heard words to the effect, that 
some great criminal, who had uttered oaths against Mohammed 
and the Sultan, and was arrested at Schumla, had escaped. 
And the Turks, as they do not know the fugitive, now arrest 
every one who wears European garments, and is a stranger." 

Salkowszky made a glance, which told me what he meant. 
But I was so tired, that sleep — the only benefactor of the un- 
fortunate — overcame the menacing future, which was about 
to unfold itself, before my eyes. 

The reader may imagine, 1 slept so soundly that the noise 
which aroused me, must be a harsh one. I heard voices in 
various languages, that is in Hungarian*, Polish and Turkish, 
I looked on, and saw three Poles brought in by force; and 
while the cavasses were taking off the ropes by which they 
were bound, one of them protested against this procedure with 
rather pugilistic manifestations, saying in Turkish, ** You oxen 
without horns ! I told you, and I repeat now, that neither I, 
nor any one of my companions is the man you look for. We 
are authorized by the Pasha himself to remain and live in the 
town. You to-morrow shall see your stupidity and mistake. 



* During my stay in America, I hare been asked at least a thousand times, if the 
Hungarian language is not the same as the German, or Polish. So I think it advis- 
able to remark that the Hungarian — Magyar — has absolutely no relation to the 
Western, Northern or Southern languages. It is an Easter n language, but has no 
resemblance t Q either of the other Eastern languages. 



198 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

And I shall ask satisfaction from the Pasha for your 
savage conduct." " Be quiet !" said one of his companions. 
" These Turks are as stupid as beasts, it is useless to speak to 
them. But to-morrow the pasha will see, that no one among 
us is Bardy, and we shall be free." But his exasperated friend 
was not so easy to be tranquilized, and with insulting expres- 
sions abused the Turks so excessively, that I myself wondered 
they suffered it without resentment. I now asked the Pole, 
constantly remonstrating, " Who and what was this Bardy ?" 

" He is a Hungarian, had some difficulty with the Austrian 
consul, was arrested by the Turks, and escaped from Schumla,' 
was the answer. 

" How do you know he escaped ?" asked I. 

" My employer told me." 

" Who is he ?" 

" A tailor, who works for the different consuls here, and for 
the Austrian consul. The consul told him, and begged him, 
to look out ; and should Bardy arrive, to arrest him. " 

" Does your employer know thi* Bardy ?" 

" No ; but a personal description was handed to him." 

" Well ! Have you seen this description ?" 

" I did." 

"What is it? Or how is it?" 

" A young man, tall, dark complexion, very thin, for he w as 
lately sick, without a moustache, and with short black hair." 

" This is not bad," thought I ; and I asked the Pole, " Who 
brought this description?" 

" It was the apothecary from Schumla, who saw Bardy 
every day, while he was lying in the hospital." 

" Well ! my dear friend !" said I, " you may sleep tranquilly, 
because if you are arrested instead of Bardy, you will be set at 
liberty to-morrow. For the man who bears the name of Bardy ? 
is no other than myself. 

The Poles were a little surprised at this manifestation, and 
after they had expressed the regret with which they saw my 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 199 

situation, I wished them good night, and began to sleep. I 
was not troubled nor entertained any fear, because I felt in the 
bottom of my heart, that I had done right. 

The following morning in the watchhouse a man came who 
recognized me, and I recognized him as the assistant apothecary 
of Schumla, by birth a Greek, and by name Nicholas. 

The Poles brought in the last night, told me curious stories. 
They said, " This honest apothecary informed the cavasses that 
I had stolen his uniform while under arrest and sick, that I was 
arrested for the crime of having blasphemed the great Prophet, 
his religion, and the Sultan, — and that, like an evil spirit, I 
deserted my bed while the eyes of two faithful mussulmen 
were fixed on it !" The reader can imagine that this super- 
stitious people looked upon me, as they would on a thief, in- 
fidel, nay, a blasphemer of their prophet and faith, and a 
mysterious being in secret alliance with the devil ! The Aus- 
trian consul, well knew how to inflame these bigots against me, 
and they with terrible menaces told me that there was no devil 
in hell who had power to liberate me from their hands. 

About nine o'clock the English consul came, and I was 
ordered to present myself. The English consul, on seeing me, 
could not suppress the exclamation, " For God's sake ! Are 
you Bardy ?" 

" Yes, Sir ! I am ; though I may seem to be only his 
shadow." Here the noble man took me by the hand, and told 
me to relate the events, as they took place at Schumla. I com- 
plied. He turned to the pasha, and after an hour's conver- 
sation, told me, he was very sorry, he was not able to secure 
my liberty, for the pasha had express and strict orders, based 
on the Divans orders, from the pashas of Schumla, to let me 
be escorted back. He also advised me to obey, to be tranquil. 
He said he would report the matter to his minister at Con- 
stantinople, and do every thing to prevent my being handed 
over to the Austrians. I saw that this gentleman did every 



200 MY PRISON AND FLIGriT. 

thing he could as consul ; and if he did no more, it was because 
he was consul. And to this day I feel as warm gratitude to 
him, as when I left him, though I knew well that his noble 
effoits and promises could hardly be crowned with success. 

At twelve o'clock we were summoned to be ready to start on 
foot towards Schumla. I asked for the liberty to speak once 
more with the pasha, and it being granted, I requested him to 
set free the other Hungarians and Poles, as there was now no 
reason for their detention ; they being arrested instead of myself, 
who was now in their hands. 

" You all, all together shall be escorted to Schumla. Be- 
cause you are dogs and infidels, who repay with execrations the 
generous hospitality of the Sultan, and desert in such an un- 
grateful way," replied he in a repulsive manner and tone. 

" Well !" said I, " you see that I am sick, and so unable to 
walk ; will you not be so kind as to order a carriage for me ?" 

" My cavasses shall teach you how to walk," was the more 
inhuman answer. 

" Well !" said I, with a little bitterness, « I am not a Turk 
but a Catholic. But should I ever see once more the village 
where I first learned to pray to the Almighty, I will insert in 
our Litany, " From the hospitality of Turks, Good Lord de- 
liver us! And from the intrigues of Austria and Russia, 
Good Lord deliver the Turks!" And I left this first in- 
humane Tuk. 

We were put among three horsemen, and solemnly escorted 
out of the town, — a rather unpleasant amusement, I can assure 
the reader. 

Very naturally weak and weary as I was, I could not 
keep pace with the horses of our escort. One of the 
Turks summoned ma to go quicker. But it was not possi- 
ble. He did not order me a second time, but with a stick* 
held in his hnnd, struck me so unmercifully that I even now 
feel uneasy if I recall this blow to my remembrance At this 
barbarous act, 1 lost my self-possession, and the anger having 



MY TRI30N AND FLIGHT. 201 

collected together all my remaining strength, I seized him by 
his W, draped him down from his horse, and in an instai t 
was on his breast with my knees, while my fingers were con- 
vulsively sunk into his throat. In a second the others fell upon 
me, and both the Turk and myself owe it to the intervention 
of these others, that we went not in company to the paradise of 

Mohammed. 

My Turk, who hardly succeeded in getting his tongue back 
into his mouth, for it was expanded some thing like half a foot 
as soon as my fingers came in close contact with his naked 
throat, after this demonstration became more humane, and 
ordered one of his fellows to dismount and let ma ride. Bat I 
declined, till entirely exhausted, I fell a second time. Now they 
put me on the horse which was guided by the Turk in order to 
prevent my desertion. In the next village a wagon was ordered 
with two oxen. I was put on it, and conveyed like the Turkish 
women who take their pleasure rides in wagons drawn by oxen. 
On the fourth day of our journey we were no more than ten or 
twelve miles distant from Schumla, but at sun set the Turks 
proceeded no further. We were quartered in a house before 
whose door, as usual, the two cavasses were lying, like the 
dog Cerberus before the entrance of Hades. The third spent 
the night without sleeping, watching us. My companions very 
sensitive about my situation, tried to persuade me to desert, but 
there was no possibility of it, or if I had attempted it, I should 
have been shot. But their noble sympathy and untired in- 
genuity concocted a plan which seemed to me altogether im- 
practicable, yet we put it through. 

Schumla is situated at the foot of the Balkan, which extends 
its majestic arm from the Danube to Constantinople. About a 
quarter of a mile from the town, which is properly built on the 
slowly rising slope of the mountains, flows a little river in a 
deep, wide and irregular bed. We were near the bridge when 
my companions informed me that they were determined at tlie 
11* 



202 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

risk of their lives to save me. I thought, they intended to 
knock down the cavasses, and I opposed it. " No ! no ! Be 
quiet," said Salkowszky ; " no one shall be killed. You have 
nothing else to do, than when you see that you are alone, leave 
this wagon, enter the town through some fence, and hide your- 
self in the quarters of some Hungarians." Saying this he left 
me, and joined the others who were walking about twelve paces 
ahead. One of the cavasses shouted after the three Poles who 
were now about thirty paces in front, ordering them to stop and 
wait for us. But they instead of obeying, began to run. The 
Turk losing his patience began to run after them, but as they 
left the road, and chose for the manoeuvre the rising field, which 
by heavy falls of rain was rendered impassable on horseback } 
he leaped down from his horse, and began to give a chase, 
firing afcer them both pistols without effect. We were standing 
on the bridge, and the chase gave to the Turks much enjoy- 
ment, and they looked on like the oxen on the green grass by 
road-side. I saw that my companions who remained, profited 
by the opportunity, while the Turks were entirely occupied in 
witnessing the hunt, they stole slowly down from the bridge 
into the river's bed, two of them on the left, and the other two 
on the right hand ; and they advanced along in the channel- 
And in fact they would have succeeded to escape unobserved 
had not the attention of the Turks been arrested by the part- 
ing, " Good bye ! good bye !" waving their hats in their hands. 
As soon as the Turks observed what was the matter, they sprang 
one on one side, the other on the other, commanding them to 
stop, or they would shoot them. But seeing that an ironical 
laughter was the answer, they discharged their pistols, and 
leaving their horses ran in pursuit. 

Unquestionably this scene was an interesting one, and I 
think the reader, if he has any humor in his composition, could 
hardly have retained his gravity, had he seen the Turks, fold- 
ing together the superfluous width by which their trowsers are 
wider than they ought to be, and which not only hinder the 



MY PRISON AHD FLIGHT. 203 

man in running, but at the slightest breath of an auspicious 
wind, swell up like two balloons. In this manner they followed 
the fugitives, who by taking different directions, and by nim- 
bleness of foot were now out of reach. 

The Turk who drove the oxen, while contemplating with 
interest the chase, murmured some dreadful oaths against 
" every Christian dog." I wanted to suggest to him that in 
the present game at least, the Turks are the dogs, because they 
followed my companions as the dog follows rabbits. But I 
thought it more advisable to quit him unobserved if possible. 
It was not very difficult, for as he was sitting on the anterior 
part of the wagon, deeply immersed with his eyes and thoughts 
in the scenes before him, I moved slowly, descended, and as 
soon as I reached the deep bed of the river, I took care to hide 
myself from step to step, as I advanced behind the low trees 
which here and there grew in the valley. 

I fortunately reached the fence of the nearest house of the 
town, glanced round me, and saw that the Turk was yet all the 
while on the bridge enjoying himself with the spectacle. But 
I could see no more any of the cavasses, nor of my compan- 
ions. I mounted the fence, but never with so much difficulty 
in my life, as then. 

After six or eight minutes, I entered an eating saloon — at 
least so it would be termed here in America. But the room 
occupied the whole building. It was constructed of wooden 
fences, put together in a square, and inside, as well as outside, 
walled up and plastered with black mud. The roof was cov- 
ered with tke]same material, and in a triangular form, covered 
with reeds to prevent rain and snow from falling into the sa- 
loon. The proprietor of this " Alhambra," was a Hungarian, 
who served with me, and was also under my command, in Ita- 
ly. I knew him to be a good fellow, and trusted him. He 
came here to marry a certain woman, who, as sutler, came out 
with the Hungarian troops. They built this saloon and pro- 
vided his countrymen with dishes prepared in Hungarian style, 



204 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

for these poor fellows, as well as my humble self, were so hard 
to get accustomed to the Turkish meals, that there was only 
one thing on earth harder for them, and that was hunger. 

He was astounded at seeing me, and clasped together his 
hands, by which the Europeans indicate utter despair. He in- 
formed me, after a rather prolonged declamation, how the town, 
after I deserted, was surrounded by outposts — how the Turks 
searched every house and every corner of the town, to find me 
— how the sentinels attested that I was brought away by evil 
spirits — (for the young Pole left the bed as unperceived as he 
entered it) — how, in spite of their oaths, the sentinels were 
cruelly beaten. And he significantly nodded his head when 

he said, "If you fall into their hands " but he had 

not courage to say the rest. 

"Well," said I, "you yourself see, then, that now there is 
no time to trifle, nor to lose. Tell me, if you can, what place 
would be most secure for me ?" 

" To leave Schumla — for there is no corner, no chimney, 
no pot, no cellar, no garret, where you have not been searched 
for." 

" It is impossible, my dear friend. I am weak. I cannot 
walk; and before I move myself I wane to gain some strength. 
As there is no other way for my salvation than to pass on foot 
the Balkan. In some of the country villages, I could not re- 
main unknown for twenty-four hours, and so my fate would 
be certain. " 

" This is all true," said he, " but I do not see any other way. 
Let me awaken my wife, to prepare some refreshment for you, 
and we shall see what we can do." 

The wife came forward, and after making a funeral-like de- 
clamation upon the law of nature, which so unmercifully de- 
spoils youthful strength and vigor, as my humble face showed 
to her, she began to prepare a breakfast in Hungarian style. 
The kitchen being in a corner of the saloon, separated only by 
a simple partition, while she was engaged there we were con- 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 205 

versing as to what place would be the most safe for me. But 
we could not hit upon one, until the wife said — 

" There is no place as safe as our garret." 

" Our garret !" exclaimed the husband ; " have you lost your 
mind ? Here, in the vicinity of the barracks, where from morn- 
ing till evening people come and go — as well Turks as Greeks, 
Bolgars, and Hungarians !" 

u Well," said the wife, "just for this reason. You know that 
every other house in town was lately searched. But not our 
saloon, nor our garret. And why? Because it is the nearest 
to the barracks, and frequented by everybody, and nobody 
would think Mr. Bardy had enough temerity, or stupidity — 
but it is not stupidity — to shelter himself where every man 
has free entrance and exit." 

I saw that the wife was right, and, in short, concluded to 
stow away my honorable lordship in the garret. After finish- 
ing my breakfast, Friss and Fekete* helped me up, and I sol- 
emnly installed myself in my new residence. 

As the garret was so low that it was impossible to stand 
up, and the floor so weak that it threatened to break down un- 
der every pace, of course I was compelled to lie down. The 
smoke coming up from the kitchen, and the large spiders which 
in every direction were coming and going, added more to the 
uncomfortableness of my residence. But there were some things 
which amply compensated me for all this — particularly that I 
could distinctly hear every word which was spoken down in 
the saloon. And as my humble self was the hero ©f the day, 
very naturally every one spoke of me. By this means I was 
informed how cruelly were whipped the three cavasses who 
brought the repRt of the Pasha of Yarna, to this effect : 

" I gave these men the duty of escorting the notorious Bardy 
and six other fugitives" 



•Fekate was the name of his partner. He is now here at Worcester, and works 
in the Wire Factory of Washburn & Co. 



206 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

But neither Bardy nor any one of the fugitives being pre- 
sented to the Pasha of Schumla, he "with his own hands beat 
these poor fellows soundly ! I also learned how the ox-driver 
affirmed that I must have been carried off from his wagon by 
evil spirits, as I was evaporated before his eyes, like camphor 
when exposed to free air ! This affirmation strengthened the 
statement of the two sentinels, who constantly swore that I was 
carried off from my bed by devils — and the Turks, supersti- 
tious as they are, now began to believe that I actually was not 
a man, but a devil ! But the Austrian consul was not to be 
blinded by such nonsense. He caused Salkowszky and the five 
others to be arrested on condition that they should suffer the 
punishment which had awaited me, if they refused to discover 
my whereabouts. But this arrest aroused the whole body of 
emigrants, and they in a rather stormy manner presented them- 
selves to the Pasha, declaring sincerely that if he did not re- 
lease Salkowszky and his companions, they would themselves 
tear down the barracks, and liberate them, or every man die 
in the attempt. This manly demonstration had more effect on 
the mind of the Pasha than the gold and false pretensions of 
the Austrian consul. He restored the captives to their liberty. 
The city was now surrounded once more with outposts. No- 
body of the Hungarians or Poles were allowed to go out of town, 
and guards were despatched to search the town from house to 
house. Ten thousand piasters were promised to him who 
would discover my whereabouts. Three days and three nights 
the search of the town was going on. Some of my country- 
men, having some resemblance to me, were arrested, 'beaten, 
bound, and detained in prison till the next mOTiing, when the 
mistake was discovered. The body of the J^igee3 resented 
even more vigorously, this barbarous procedure, by which the 
Austrian consul knew so skillfully how to .turn the stupidity 
and superstition of the Turks to revenge himself upon the Hun- 
garians. They informed the Pasha that if one of them, instead 
of me, whether by mistake or by pretence, should be arrested 






MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 207 

and beaten, they would en masse fall upon the house of the 
Austrian consul, demolish it, and, if they caught his person, 
would make him suffer the sum total of all he had inflicted on 
the Hungarians severally. At this declaration, the search of 
the town ended. Only now and then, by some suspicicn, a 
house was examined. But no one guessed that I was in the 
garret of the saloon, three rods distant from the barracks, and 
that I heard the execrations uttered against me, as well as the 
compassion of my countrymen. 

My residence, indeed, became more interesting for me, than 
the box of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, in the theater of Drury 
Lane, when the play " La gazza Ladra " is performed. But if 
the reader should ask me if I was not willing to change situa- 
tion's with her, I must confess that I would with the greatest 
complaisance. 

One of my countrymen below inquired of another if he knew 
where I was hid, in order to caution me to look out for myself. 
I thanked him for his attention, but spoke not a word. The 
other reported that I was arrested last night and secretly shut 
up in the house of the Austrian consul ! But I could not be- 
lieve this, in spite of my Catholic religion, which sometimes 
commands to believe greater absurdities and impossibilities. A 
third related that he saw me early in the morning, leaving the 
town, on horseback — though I constantly lay in the garret! 
The fourth alleged that I hearkened at last to the Turks, and 
embracing their religion, was now hid in the house of the 
priest. All the while, I, with the greatest Christian patience, 
awaited my fate in the garret. So I heard different and con- 
tradictory reports about my humble self, during whole days 
and evenings. ^jjTo one knew, except Friss, his wife, and Fe- 
kete, who faithfully and cheerfully served me whenever I re- 
quested him, and for which I owe him thanks, which I now 

ve him publicly. 

I wrote to the Piedmontese ambassador at Constantinople, 
informing him of my precarious situation, and requesting him 



208 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

to do what lie could in my behalf. I wrote also to the English 
minister to the same effect, while Major Brick* convened a 
meeting of the Hungarians, where it was unanimously resolved 
to inform the Divan faithfully of the fact in which I was in- | 
volved, and request them to change the decree, and instead of 
handing me to the Austrians, to restore me to my liberty. 
What effect all this had, we shall see. 

I had already been confined six days in the garret, and no- 
body guessed that my brave self was there in such utter silence 
and quietude, while the houses of the town were turned upside 
down, in the search ; and though my position, which compelled 
me to lie down day and night, was not very propitious to my 
health, still less to my wishes, which were to gain some strength, 
yet I may say, on the whole, that I enjoyed myself, hearing 
daily new and contradictory reports, of which the most interest- 
ing feature was, that none were true. But on the seventh day, 
in the afternoon, I was discovered by accident. 

The day was Saturday, about 4 o'clock P. M. All the ■* 
guests were going into the yard to roll balls, except a company 
which, so far as I could judge from their voices, was composed 
of three, two men and a woman. They were below in the 
saloon, playing cards for money. A dispute arose among them, 
and the woman, wife of one of the litigants, took the part of 
her hffeband, and begun to heap upon her husband's opponent 
insolent epithets. The man to whom the terms were applied, 
two or three times coolly asked his antagonist to order his wife 
either tc go home, or hold her tongue. But he paid no atten- 
tion to the summons; on the contrary he allowed iiis wife to use 
more and more abusive language. The fellow, seeing that his 
antagonist was willing to shelter himself underlie * woman's 
rights doctrine," seized a chair and gave him a blow which 
made him fall under the table. But the woman was no 



; 



• This gentleman is somewhere in one of the Now England States, preparing 
himself for ecclesiastical service. 



Mr PRISON AND FLIGHT. 209 

frightened; on the contrary, she attacked the fellow with a club, 
but finding that she was not skillful enough to wound him, ss 
the soldier parried every blow, she sprang out and ran into the 
barracks to call a Turkish guard, to arrest him. But when she 
entered with the guard, the fellow escaped, so, not finding him 
in the saloon, she thought that he was probably hid in the gar- 
ret. As she did not speak the Turkish language, by a sign she 
made the Turkish officer understand what she thought. I 
heard the whole attack — the noise of the Turkish guard, but 
could not understand or hear the sign by which the officer was 
invited to visit the garret. And as I lay with my head very 
near to the hole, which was left to mount, I saw nobody, but 
felt at once the touch of a warm hand upon my forehead. I 
turned, and saw a Turkish officer, who ordered me to come 
down. I was determined not to give myself up without resist- 
ance. I was loth to leave my place, which commanded those 
below me. The officer, seeing that my rising was not with the 
intention to obey, but to resist, seized the plank on the corner 
of which I was standing, and with a strong grasp of his hand 
threw it so violently forward, that I lost my balance, and if he 
had not been standing in my way, I should have fallen head- 
foremost down to the kitchen, instead of falling on his shoulder. 
He embraced me; also I embraced him. He tried to get me 
down, I tried to get him up ; and had I succeeded to get him 
up from the ladder, we should have fallen together. During 
this contest, the woman, who was standing below, perceived and 
recognized me, as I appeared in the hole at the t©p of the 
ladder, and exclaiming, " For God's sake ! it is first lieuten- 
ant Bardy !'' ran out into the yard and informed the others, who 
were rolling balls. 

Iu a second the room was filled and the officer seized on ev- 
ery side. They told him I was not the man who beat the wo- 
man's husband — that I was a brother of the proprietor, and 
sick, and that was the reason for which I retired to the garret. 



210 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

The poor Turk was assaulted with such a storm of hands and 
tongues, that he seemed to lose his presence of mind. The wo- 
man seized him by his coat, saying to him in Hungarian, little 
caring if he understood or not, " Come ! come ! this is not the 
man. I know where he lives. I will guide you, and 
you may arrest him there." Saying this, she literally dragged 
the officer, not only out of the room, but through the street, — 
They were followed by the guard. 

I saw clearly that I could no more remain in the garret, and 
forgot not that if the Turkish officer only had a little shrewd- 
ness, he could not fail to conjecture that the person for whose 
sake the whole town had already been searched and researched, 
must be myself. I feared that if this thought had not occur- 
red to him yet, he might return and arrest me. So I conclu- 
ded to leave the garret. Descending, I found below, some 
thirty or forty of my countrymen, who saluted me with evident 
signs of mingled gladness, compassion and rage, all uttered in 
the single word " Bardy !" 

" My dear friends," said I, tl I understand what you mean } 4 
but am not able, or willing to say it. I thank you, and hope 
you will understand me. What I beg of you is no more and 
no less than not to speak about me, or if you do, to speak the 
rumor, that I left Schumla. And now, good bye. We shall 
yet see ourselves in a land less cursed than this." Saying this» 
I left the house, followed by Friss, consulting him where we 
should find a second garret. He told me he had a friend who 
entertained towards me very sincere pity and respect, from hear- 
ing of my tribulations, and that he was living in an isolated 
spot, with his wife and brother-in-law. He assured me that 
his friend, Sergeant Erdey, for such was his name, would re- 
ceive me heartily, and keep the affair strictly secret. 

" Well, let us go," said I, " I do not know your friend but 
I will talk with him, and if he suits my views I will request | 
the favor." After walking a mile, we arrived by hidden paths 
to the north end of the town. Here we entered a yard, which 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 211 

was carefully surrounded by wooden fences, leaving the Louse in 
the middle, and the gardens, flourishing with various flowers. 
I found Sergeant Erdey to be a young man of the Protestant 
school of Hungary, open hearted, witty, not without scientific 
knowledge, honest in the truest sense of the word, and thor- 
oughly Hungarian and Christian. Men of this type in Hun- 
gary, may be expected only from the Protestant school. His 
wife, a little brunette, full of wit and vivacity, and, sorry to say, 
sometimes indulging herself in swearing, or using rather equiv- 
ocal expressions, and which, sound repulsively even from the 
lips of a man. But, for all that, I could now enjoy the free 
air, could walk in the yard and garden, while Erdey never left 
me alone to my melancholy thoughts, very naturally my health 
improved rapidly, and after eight or nine days of my sojourn, I 
felt strength enough to ascend once more the Balkan, and go 
to Constantinople on foot. But my friend Salkowszky said it 
would be better to remain some days yet, for confirming my 
health. 

The Austrian Consul did not give up looking after me, and 
spies were searching from day to day in the quarters of the 
Hungarians. Some of them had a hard reward, for my coun- 
trymen, as soon as they suspected a man to be looking for me, 
found also pretext and opportunity to whip him unmercifully, 

On the night of the second of May, about eleven o'clock, in 
the room where myself, Erdey, his wife and her brother — who 
then was not at home — slept, a guard of Turks entered so 
noiselessly, that we did not perceive them, until in the room 
one of them said, " Mum, mum. Light ! light I" 

" Who are you ?" asked Erdey. 

" The guard of the Padisha," (great Lord !) was the answer. 

" What do you want ?" 

" Light." 

" We perceived at once that the guard was informed of my 
being here, and stole silently into the large room, in order not 
to give me opportunity to escape. Erdey told me, "My dear 



212 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

friend, now you are lost. But be quiet and perhaps we may 
help you yet:" while his wife entreated me with gentle words, 
contrary to her habit, to pretend to sleep, and leave the rest 
to her. 

The candle was lighted up, and I saw by a furtive glance 
four men in the room — one the adjutant of Mahommed pasha, 
whom I knew, who also was acquainted with me — a dervish, 
and two Arab sergeants with naked cimeters in their hands, 
one of whom as soon as the room was lit up, took a position 
over me, and the other near Erdey. 

The dervish took the light from Erdey, aud after looking 
him full in the face, said, " This is not the man. This is Blond." 
Saying so, he approached the bed where his wife was lying. 
"Well!" cried Erdy, "This is my wife! what will you have 
there ?" The Dervish started back and came to me, touching 
with his foot, and saying, "kalk! kalk!" Get up! get up. 
Now the woman entreated me, once more, pretending to speak 
to her husband — not to move myself, and afterwards said to 
the Dervish : " What will you have with that man ? He is my 
brother, and a little happy. And when he is tipsy he is a little 
devilish ! So I advise you let him sleep, because if he gets up 
you will not thank him." 

"I don't care," said the Dervish, "if he is the real devil 
himself! I must look in his face." Saying so, he took me by 
my shirt and endeavored to awake me. I looked up. He also 
looked in my face, and kneeling down, he drew from his belt a 
paper, and holding the candle so near to my face, as to burn 
my nose, he began to make a comparison between my face and 
the paper. The reader may imagine that this scene had an 
aspect rather difficult for description. But when I saw that he 
recognised me, and every hope was lost, I said to him with a 
smile, " Wait my dear friend ! If you want me I will go." 
At the same time I seized the pistol, which I had under my 
pillow. The woman who knew me well and understood what 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 213 

I meant, sprang out from her bed, like a tigress, whose little 
ones are assailed by another beast, and seizing the Dervish by 
his toga, commenced a storm of words so terrible as to astonish 
all present. "You ruffian! you scoundrel! you soul-seller! 
you will take my brother away ? Stop !" And spitting in his 
eyes, and hitting him with her foot, she continued, " stop ! stop ! 
I shall go with you, and ask the Pasha if he gave orders to ar- 
rest; to bring into your hell-like dungeon my harmless brother, 
while he calmly sleeps. Come you! You the most cursed 
among the great prophet's priests" Screaming out these and 
a hundred other words like them all in one breath, with despe- 
rate violence, while now and then spitting in his face and giv- 
ing him a thrust with her little foot; the little Amazon not 
only disarmed the priest, but brought him into utter confusion. 
Indeed ! I knew not, which of those persons had on the most 
interesting expression. The priest who was moving himself to 
and fro like a dog, in a narrow place, anxious to evade a whip. 
The adjutant who stood motionless with folded arms, in the 
middle of the room, and seemed by his smiling to enjoy the 
scene, or the woman, who would have used a hundred hands 
if she had them, while the two she had seemed to be too much 
busied in arranging her garments, and whose tongue kept the 
storm in constant increase ! Or the two blacks who turned their 
bright lar^e eyes here and there. At length the Dervish turn- 
ed to the adjutant and asked him, " What is to be done here V 

"Nothing!" said the adjutant. 

" Nothing !" exclaimed the Dervish, " I am sure the man is 
Bardy," continued he pointing to me. 

" The man is the brother of the woman," said the adjutant, 
" and cannot be Bardy, because Bardy has no sister." 

" As to that I am not sure," said the Dervish, " but let us 
go and ask the Pasha if Bardy has a sister or not? Jf he has* 
he must be Bardy, but if he has not, of course he cannot be 
Bardy," 

The adjutant made to me a significant glance before they 



214 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

left the room. I could not explain to myself his conduct. I 
saw that he recognized me, but could not understand the rea- 
son why he did not order my arrest. 

About two or three minutes after they left the room, we 
heard voices in the yard. The matter was that the Dervish 
when he left the room, remained in the yard with some of his 
men, in order that should I be Bardy and attempt to escape, 
they might catch me. They also silently remained in the yard 
while the adjutant was going to ask the pasha if I had a sister 
or not ? During this, Mr. Bako, the real brother of the woman, 
was coming home, and not willing to disturb the folks by 
knocking on the yard gate, and unaware that it had been open- 
ed by the guard, he mounted the fence and jumped into the 
yard. At once the soldiers rushed on him and seized him. He 
protested in vain that he was the brother of the Hungarian 
woman who resided here. They told him he was a liar, for 
the brother was in the room. Ercley had now gone out and 
in Hungarian language informed him of what had happened, 
and advised him to go with them, and let them believe that he 
was the man for whom they were looking. The poor fellow 
w 7 as bound like a malefactor, and received some blows too, from 
the unmerciful people, while they gave them titles no more re- 
spectable than his sister gave the dervish. 

On the morning dew I left the house, knowing well, that if 
they should find out that the man whom they had arrested was 
not Bardy, but the brother of Erdey's wife, they would return, 
and take me without further ceremony. I was right, because 
the dervish came, and not finding me, and inquiring in vain 
he ordered Erdey to present the man who was lying last night 
in his room, and who was falsely pretended by his wife to be 
her brother. He also ordered Erdey and his wife to present 
themselves before the pasha. Erdey came to me and informed 
me of the matter. But his wife was not at a loss for a new 
trick. She said, that if Lieutenant Dienst, one of the Hunga- 



MY PRISON ABD FLIGHT. 215 

rian exiles, would shave his beard, arid cut short his moustache, 
he might pass for myself, for there was such a resemblance 
between us as would deceive the dervish, who in particular 
seemed anxious for my arrest. The trick was done, and the 
woman had opportunity to give anew some beautiful titles to 
the dervish. He asked her before the pasha, "why did you 
say that this man was your brother ?" pointing to Lieut. Deinst. 
" Because, if I had not said so, you would have arrested him, 
and unjustly, as you see now, for he is not Bardy, but a friend 
of my husband, and I would not like to have him lie a night 
in your worm infested prison.' , 

" Well," said the priest, " when we arrested your brother, 
why did you not say that he was your brother ?" 

" Because, if I had, you stupid and unfaithful as you are 
would not believe either the one or the other, but would bring 
both of them into the dungeon." 

In short the dervish was so prettily eluded, that he at last 
asked pardon, for arresting her brother. 

On the same day, Erdey came to me and informed me, that 
the adjutant waited on him, and said, that he had recognised 
me and was desirous to know my whereabouts, to inform me of 
some news favorable to me, and asked me if he should let the 
adjutant know whete I was. 

I had reason to believe that the adjutant meant me no harm, 
but in spite of his conduct last night, I had lost every parti- 
cle of confidence in the Turks. I know them to be good heart- 
ed, but not independent, as generally is the case with stupid 
men. So I told Erdey not to disclose to him my whereabouts. 

On the following morning was handed to me a Viennese 
newspaper, " Die Wanderer." Here I found under the head 
of the correspondence from Constantinople: 

"The rumor about the assassination of the Hungarian lead- 
ers was already entirely silent, when by the death of a citizen 
Bardy it arose anew. This Bardy, it is reported, had some ex- 
pedition from Constantinople to Schumla, in the transaction of 



216 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

which he gave proof to what an incredible degree shameless- 
ness may reach. He comp onrised persons of high standing. 
Count Sturmer, the Austrian Ambassador at Constantinople; 
very naturally could not bear the stain on his character. He 
proceeded against Bardy who was also arrested in Schumla. 
But the arrested was claimed by Barone Tecco, the Piedmon- 
tese Ambassador, as a subject of Piedmonte. The intention 
was to set him free, but he was found in his prison — dead." 

Two or three days after this news. Count Kostyielszky came 
to me, and related that became yesterday from Constantinople, 
where the Piedmontese Ambassador, the same Baron Tecco 
told him, that I had embarked for England some ten days ago, 
after having been his guest for a couple of days ! The count 
also told me that I had nothing to fear from the Turks, for 
they should not arrest me; and he requested me to go with 
him to Halim Pasha, who was desirous to speak with me, and 
would help me to leave Schumla. But I had no more confi- 
dence; no more trust in the Turks. I refused to go, request- 
ing the Count not to let them know my whereabouts, which he 

promised. 

At length when they saw that all efforts to persuade me to 
present myself to the pasha were in vain, and on the contrary, 
I became more cautious, and every night changed my quarters. 
Count Kostyielszky came, and brought me a Turkish passport 
under a false name ; also money. He said that whenever I 
wished, there were Turks, and a horse at my service, and I 
might leave Schumla. I took the passport and the money, 
but declined the service of the Turks, I was perhaps wrong, 
but I could no more trust them. Assuring myself that the 
passport was genuine, so far as it was ordered in it to let the 
bearer pass freely, and without molestation, and assist him in 
case of need. I concluded with my friend Salkowszky to go 
once more in company. Accordingly on the 10th of June, 
we left Schumla on horse-back, and in two days arrived at Var- 
na. I went directly to the English consul, who received me 



MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 21 7 

with great satisfaction, and requested me to remain his guest 
while in Varna. He also told me, when I was through with 
the account of what had lately befallen me, that he had written 
letters to Constantinople, both to his minister, and to the Divan. 
He also advised me not to go by steamboat to Constantinople* 
as there were always people who might know me, and prove 
dangerous to me. Accordingly he engaged passage on a Turk- 
ish sailing vessel for thirty Hungarians and Poles who were all 
coming from Schumla, and going to Constantinople. 

"We had a rather pleasant trip, for there were some Hunga- 
rian ladies, wives of officers, who gave spirit to our gloomy 
mood. Among the ladies was one,- by name Julia Banyay, 
whose father, mother and two brothers, were slaughtered by the 
most infamous death by Wallacks, which caused her to vow re- 
venge upon this sanguinary race. Leaving the smoking ruins 
of her forefathers building, she dressed herself in military uni- 
form, and entered service as private in the army of Transylvania, 
under the command of the late Gen. Bern. This lady, known 
as Julius Sarossy, was never detected of being a woman. She 
advanced gradually to the degree of corporal, sergeant, lieuten- 
ant and Captain ; was loved and respected by every one, who 
once saw her on the battle field — gained two medals by her 
bravery and courage. But she was also abhorred by many, be- 
cause they saw her kill with slow and tormenting death, every 
Wallack who fell into her hands. She was for a long time un- 
discovered in Turkey, when at length she presented herself to 
Kossuth, who knew her as Capt. Sarossy, She revealed to him 
the secret, giving the reasons for the cruelty with which she 
had killed, and would kill every Wallachian. She became af- 
terwards the wife of Capt. Matta. But it is a question rather 
hard to solve " which wore the hat ?" So much is true, that 
the wife had three times as much physical strength as her hus- 
band, or any other man of ordinary strength. I, for my part, 
never saw the like. 



218 MY PRISON AND FLIGHT. 

Scarcely had we weighed anchor in the harbor of Constan- 
tinople, when a police officer presented himself, ordering the 
Captain, not to allow any of the Hungarians or Poles to leave 
the vessel, before they were examined by the Austrian consul 
Mihalovich. My companions glanced at me. This told me 
that they were ready to get up a fight, and perhaps had a little 
inclination to battle Mr. Mihalovich in the harbor ! But I was 
not willing to let the matter go so far. I intended to lower 
myself silently into the water by a rope and swim ashore, half 
a mile distant The lady of whom I above spoke perceived 
my intention, and taking me by the hand, said, "stop a minute 
my dear friend ! There is another way; you may go through 
dry ;" and conducting me by my hand to the Turkish Captain, 
that is, the Captain of the vessel, said to him, "My dear friend, 
you see the time is late, who knows when this Austrian dog will 
come ? "We are entire strangers at Constantinople; in the night 
with our baggage we cannot look for lodging. So you will be 
kind enough to allow my husband — here pointing to me — to 
go with one of his friends to the shore, make arrangements by 
day light for lodgings, and return in time." The Turk first op- 
posed the request, but when the lady began to exert those magic 
powers which are given only to woman's eyes, saying that she 
would remain as a hostage, the Turk could no longer resist. So 
I, and her real husband lowered ourselves in a boat, and gained 
the shores of Constantinople. 

After this scene I saw no more of this lady. I think she is in 
.Turkey somewhere, and if the present awful condition of Tur- 
key shall open for her a field to war against her terrible foe, 
Bhe will not fail to do it, 



THE 

CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 



' Oh for a forty -parson power, 
To chant thy praise Hypocrisy I" 



Putting my feet on the soil of Constantinople, I thought and 
felt myself not only free, but in a place where I was entitled to, 
and could rightly claim satisfaction for the innumerable suffer- 
ings, to which by Austrian intrigues, the stupidity and indecis- 
ion of the Turks subjected me. But alas ! Matters stood quite 
differently. 

First of all, I came into the hotel where I was residing while 
at Constantinople, and where I left my good comrades, of whom 
I could not find a single person. The wife of the proprietor, a fair 
Hungarian Jewess, met me first, but she received my warm and 
hearty salute with astonishment and confusion. 

"Well!" said I, "What is the matter Madame Adler?" 

" For God's sake ! Is it you, or your shadow ?" 

" Both," said I, " when have you seen in such a fine day as 
this, a body without a shadow, or a shadow without a body ?" 

" Well, if you are not dead, you had better come with me, 
and not let yourself be seen by any one else, or you are lost V 7 

"Why?" 

" For two weeks there have been different rumors about you. 
One says you are dead; another that you are gone to England; 
a third that you became a mussulman; but the truest report is,' 



220 CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 

that in my hotel you are inquired for by men whom we know 
to be Austrian spies. 

"Is this all 2" 

" Yes, this is all, and I advise you, that if liberty is dear to 
you, you go not into the bar-room. There are many people 
who know you, and in a couple of hours the Pera and Galata 
will be full of reports that you have arrived." 

During this discourse a young Hungarian, by name, Fran- 
cisci, came, and perceiviDg me, nodded mysteriously with his 
head to follow him. He entered a room, and I followed him. 

" My dear Bardy !" said he, " I know you do not know what 
fear is : but you now must know for once what precaution is." 

"Well !" said I, " what do you mean by that ?" 

" I mean, that as you know, I gained an amnesty, at the re- 
quest of my parents, from the Austrian government." 

"What else?" 

" So I am now the guest of the Austrian Minister, Count 
Sturmur." 

"Enough! Shameful!!" 

" Let me speak, and afterwards blame me if you can. As 
the guest of the Austrian Minister, and also as a person who is 
considered to have returned to fidelity towards his Highness, 
they gave me some confidence, of which one proof is, that I 
was ordered to arrest you and escort you to the Austrian Am- 
bassador as soon as I should meet you. Ten thousand piasters 
and pardon, is the reward of your arrest. And there are men 
looking anxiously for you. Should one of them meet you, 
you are lost. You see I advise you as your countryman, and I 
wish no other reward or thanks, than that you may take care 
of yourself, and remain entirely incognito in some corner, till 
I, and some good friends of yours shall get together some 
money to help you leave this territory." 

I thanked him heartily for his sincere good will, but could not 
understand how they could arrest me, though I saw many men 



CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 221 

arrested in the street upon the bare word of their accusers. So 
I thought the best I could do was to go to the old Baron Orban, 
and hear his opinion. 

It was already a little dusk when I moved toward the house 
of the old Baron . I confess sincerely that I felt very uneasy 
as I approached the house. The thought, both in the prison 
and out of it, tormented me many times, that I might have 
caused some injury to his family, when in my confusion and 
anger I discovered the old Baron to the Piedmontese Ambas- 
sador. 

I entered the house, mounting the stairs slowly. Entering 
the parlor in the same manner, I found here lady Celestina, 
alone, deeply immersed in thought. " Poor girl !" thought I, 
while I stood unobserved, and gazing on her, " she is probably 
in love, and unhappy — I too was in love, my sweetheart was— - 
my fatherland. She is lost, and so I too am unhappy." 

"Good evening, Miss Celestina r saluted I after some mo- 
ments. 

" Ah ! Bardy !" cried she springing up from the sofa, evident- 
ly with the appearance as if to spring out by the window, which 
was in the rear. 

" Well Miss !" said I, " are you disgusted at me ?" 

" For God's sake !" said she, rather articulating and gazing 
on me with her large bright wide open eyes — " They said that 
you were dead." 

"They said a lie, my dear Miss, because I live and am hun- 
gry and thirsty as a wolf," I dared not move myself forward, 
for she was all the while yet in a position which told me, that 
she wished to be as distant from me as possible. 

* Well !" said I, " where is your father ?" 

"Gone out." 

" Your mother ? " 

" The same." 

"And you?" 

" I am not well to-day, and so remained at home." 



222 CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 

rt Can you send for your father ?" 

" Yes ! if you wish it," and here she rang the bell. 

The servant earne in. He was one of my soldiers, and the 
good fellow scarcely recognizing me, fell on my neck and should- 
er, and began to cover me with kisses, so fervently and stoutly 
laid on, that I feared he would bite off my nose or ear. At 
last he began to speak. " They told me you were dead, and 
could I have believed it, indeed I should have shed many tears 
for you. But I always said : Ho ! Ho ! Lieut. Bardy is not a 
man to die like a musqueto at the slightest breath of autumn. 
And I told well." 

" Thank you, my dear brother, but now be good enough to 
go and look for the old Baron, informing him that I am here, 
and wish to speak with him, 

"Well!" said he, "But — let me see — yes. All night. 
Saying these broken words, he turned out in the greatest con- 
fusion. " This is very amusing," thought I,- " I am to inspire 
every one here with horror, surprise and confusion. What 
could be the matter with this fellow ?" Just then he called out : 
" Lieut. Bardy ! will you step down ? *I want to speak with you." 

I came down stairs, where he was standing, looking very 
suspiciously round him. Putting two of his fingers on his lips 
he began to speak in a whisper : " Sir you are in a bad place. 
There are reports that the old Baron is a spy of the Austrian 
Ambassador, and I do not think it safe for you to come here 
and speak to him. Do you know that ten thousand piasters 
are the prize set on your head, as a reward, to him who shall 
detect and arrest you, and that there are spies in every direc- 
tion looking for you ?" 

" Well !" said I, smiling, " Do you also think that the old 
Baron is an Austrian spy V 

" I think so, because every body says so." 

" Also, that he would cause my arrest ?" 

"Yes 6ir! Though not directly, but indirectly, because he 



CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 223 

fears the Hungarian exiles, who have already given him a few 
warnings." 

I confess my faith was not bad enough to suspect the old 
Baron of what he was accused, and I thought my countryman 
was mistaken. And so I told him. 

"Well!" said he, " if you do not believe my words now, take 
care, that when you shall believe them, it be not too late for you. 
I may go as you command, and inform him. However, I shall 
not say that you are here, but, that a stranger is come. And 
I entreat you by every thing that is sacred to you, do not allow 
the Baron to go out alone ; you must go with him, and steal 
away from him, and never return to this house; qt it would be 
best to leave directly and never come again.'' 

"My dear friend," said 1, " I wish to, and I must speak with 
him. Bat do not trouble yourself. If there is any reality in 
what you fear, I shall have enough presence of mind to pre- 
vent it." 

"Well! One word more! I beg you not to say a single 
word to Miss Celestina, or to her brother about what 1 have 
said. Poor creatures ! They will be both sacrificed, if they 
are not already, to the base avarice of their old father." 

The reader, perhaps, like myself, till now, would not even im- 
agine the old Baron could be an Austrian spy, He who had 
done so much for my fugitive countrymen — who mourned the 
ignominious death of the Hungarian Generals, executed at Arad, 
who informed me, and sent me to Schumla to say fc that there 
were assassins looking for Kossuth's life! How could he be an 
Austrian spy ? That was a question to answer which I had not 
enough penetration of mind, nor enough bad faith in humani- 
ty. Yet my countryman was right. 

I remounted the stairs and found Celestina more quiet now, 
and no longer frightened. She recounted to me how the whole 
family were sorjy on learning from the Austrian papers of my 
death, and how they mourned for me as if I had been one of 



224 CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 

their family. I also in my turn communicated to her some 
things of my adventures which I thought would please her. 

Now we heard the approaching steps of the old Baron, who 
with his usual authority, in measured pace*, advanced and 
opened the door, always a yard wider than any other person 
would do. 

When he entered and learned who I, the stranger was, he 
almost lost his presence of mind, and exclaimed, " Bardy ! you 
here?" 

4t Yes sir, I am here." 

"Unhappy man! You are lost! Quick, quick, hide your- 
self in any part or corner of this house. Hide yourself or else 
you will be lost." 

" Why ? What is the matter ?" asked I not without surprise 
at his confounded manner and language, which generally are 
so unbecoming to men of his years. 

" Well ! you know that the Austrian Minister is well aware 
that you are not dead, nor yet out of Turkey, and that you are 
all the while yet wandering on this territory ?" 

" I wonder not at this, sir !" said I, "I should wonder if the 
Austrian Ambassador believed that I was dead before having 
had satisfaction upon him. I should wonder if he should only 
imagine, I might leave Turkey before I had this satisfaction." 

" Satisfaction !" exclaimed he, " What are you about ? Who 
shall give you satisfaction ? Don't you know that the Divan 
concluded to hand you over to Austria ?" 

" I know it. But I know too that the Pasha of Schumla 
sent me passports, and money, and ordered horse and men to 
accompany me here." 

" Is that possible ?" 

"It is certain, not possible, sir?" 

" And so, what do you intend to do?" 

" To ask satisfaction from the Divan, and if they deny me, 
from the Grand Turk himself, when he is goin£ on Sunday in- 
to the Church, though my head fall in this endeavor." 



CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 225 

" My dear friend, you cannot have satisfaction. But you 
will be arrested as soon as you present yourself by day-Jight in 
the street. And if you resist, you will be beaten to death, as 
poor Loschi was. Don't you know there is a reward for your 
head of ten thousand piasters ?" 

" I heard of it, and think this is rather a heavy sum for Aus- 
tria to pay, in her miserable financial condition. Generally, 
they pay a dollar and a half per head." 

" Well," said the Baron, but constantly confused in his man- 
ner, " the best you can do is to remain here concealed in my 
house. Go not out — and by the next steamboat you may go 
to England." 

" I am much obliged to you for your kind offer, and as soon 
as I shall need it, I will avail myself of it. For the present, let 
me go to the Piedmontese ambassador, and hear what he shall 
say." 

" He will not protect you. I can assure you on this point. 
May be, he will order your arrest, as you have violated one of 
the diplomatic body, to which he also belongs. His official 
duty is to prosecute the offender, as much as if the offence had 
been perpetrated on his own person. I advise you, as your fa- 
ther, to remain here silently and secretly. We will find 
means to save you, but if you go out you are not safe a single 
minute." 

" E h ! my dear baron," said I, a little resenting the opinion he had 
of the Piedmontese Minister, who, at least as a man, was one 
of the best-hearted and most honest men in the world. " I 
have not yet lost my courage entirely, nor am I afraid to look 
once more into the face of danger and death. - I will go, and I 
will go now." 

" You will arrive too late," said he. " Ten o'clock is past." 

" The ministers generally do not retire before eleven — so I 
have yet an hour." 

The young Oban, son of the Baron, arrived during our dis- 
course, and saluted me with that noble and sincere fervor which 
12* 



226 CRIME IN IT3 NAKEDNESS. 

• 

belongs only to the immaculate age of youth. And now, he 
volunteered to accompany me, in spite of the wishes of his fa- 
ther. He took down a tomahawk* from the wall, and brandish- 
ing it in the air, said, " If any man attempt to arrest him, I my. 
self shall be there !" Also the servant, arming himself with 
the same kind of weapon, could not be persuaded or ordered to 
desist from following me. 

We proceeded to the residence of the Piedmontese minister, 
leaving the old baron with the promise that in an hour we 
should return. 

"When we arrived at the dwelling I requested my compan- 
ions to enter the Italian coffee house opposite the residence of 
the minister, and wait for me there. I presented myself to 
the usher, to report that I was desirous to speak with His Ex- 
cellency. 

" Too late — nobody can be admitted to-nigh V said the 
usher, in the contemptuous tone used when he spoke to people 
in garments like mine. 

" Take my name up, my dear fellow, and you will see that 
there is some one who will be admitted," said I, handing him 
my name on a card. 

He gazed on me rather doubtfully, and afterwards obeyed. 
In a few minutes afterwards I was permitted to enter, and 
found the minister on the stairs, with a burning candle in his haud. 

"In nome. di Dio/" — for God's sake! — exclaimed he. " Is 
it you?" 

" Yes, sir ; it is myself. " 

" Well ; come up stairs." 

I followed him, and when we entered the cabinet, he turned 
towards me, looked on me for some moments without uttering 



•The tomahawk is a weapon very familiar to the Hungarians. There is a class 
of people who manage it with incredible skill. Whoever has not seen them, would 
scarcely believe that they can kill a swine from fifieen to twenty paces, by throwing 
this instrument into the neck of the animal, in such a manner that it utters not a 
•ingle cry ! 



CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 227 

a word — but I saw that lie was full of compassion for me. 
" Well," said he, at length, " please sit down." 

I obeyed. 

"And now," said he, " will you tell me minutely every event 
and accident that has happened to you ?" 

*' Yes sir ;" and here I related what the reader already knows. 

" My dear friend," said he, after I had concluded my story, 
" you are like a blind man, who fancies he is walking on a 
smooth, level plain, and goes straight forward, though here and 
there are yawning depths, and a single step may bring him in- 
to eternity ! But he is not afraid, because he does not see the 
graves of death, but goes straight forward, while his destiny or 
fate guides his steps so fortunately that his feet never come 
over the depth. That has been your destiny, or fate, till you 
came here." 

"Providence" I suggested to his Excellency. 

"Well, Providence was favorable to you till now; but how 
far it shall favor you, is a great question. " 

" While I remain in the path of honesty." 

" Well," said he, " this is a dogma, on which I am indisposed 
to dispute, pro or con. I only want to say to you, that you 
have managed in these whole transactions, like a blind man. 
And now I ask you, if you know what was the purpose of the 
Austrian ambassador in sending these men to Schumla ?" 

" To bring Kossuth here, dead." 

" Dead or alive little matters. If once in their hands, he 
certainly could not live. But how, and what was the way, to 
carry out this infamous plan ?" 

" I do not know certainly, but, as their weapons indicated, 
it was by open and desperate assault." 

" On the contrary," said the minister, " the baron and Tur- 
aczy did not reveal the secret, in order to save Kossuth. They 
did not send you to him to inform him." 

" For what, then ?" asked I. 



228 CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 

" To intimidate him — to entreat him — to persuade him to 
prevent the approaching, and seemingly unavoidable danger, by 
escape. " 

" Well, is not that the same as to save him ?" 

"]N"o; this is the same as to bring him within reach of their 
sabres and muskets, in such a place that they could cut him or 
them in pieces with impunity, or even without the shadow of a 
suspicion. 

" I do not understand your Excellency." 

" Well, did they not tell you that fourteen Serezaners were 
going to Schumla?" 

« Yes, they did." 

" To assassinate Kossuth, Meszaros, Dembinszky and Batthy- 
any?" 

"Yes." 

"That you must persuade and entreat them to escape?" 

"Yes." 

" That they would furnish passports in case of need ?" 

" Yes." 

" Yes," re-echoed he, "the old Baron and Turaczy, as we all 
were well aware, after Kossuth had found the Divan not inde- 
pendent enough to protect him against the unlawful, base and 
inhuman claims of Russia and Austria, after he found out that 
in the most favorable case, his lot could be no other than " de- 
tention for life," very naturally he would become not only wil- 
ling, but anxious to elude in some way his impending, mourn- 
ful lot. And for this there was no other possibility, than by 
escape. The Austrian Government being aware of this dispo- 
sition of Kossuth, planned to turn this circumstance to their ac- 
count. So you were sent to Schumla to intimidate him, while 
by you and by others he was courteously informed, that he 
might have passports if he wished. But all these orders came 
from the combined source of the infamous plot. Had Kossuth 
embraced one of these offers and attempted to escape, he would 
not have reached a quarter of the distance between Schumla 



CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 229 

and Varna, before he would have fallen into the hands of these 
men, forty-five in number, under the command of one of the 
Austrian agents, for they were alert in that direction. But 
neither Orban, nor Turaczy mentioned it to you. 

Suppose Kossuth had attempted to escape, you naturally 
would have followed him, and fallen with him. So this infa- 
mous plot would have remained forever secret. Austria, the 
secret assassin, would then raise her voice, and demand an ac- 
count of the person of Kossuth, for whose safety the Divan was 
responsible, while Kossuth would have been believed to have 
fallen in some accidental death, ungratefully deserting the hos- 
pitality of the Sultan. Had the Baron and Turaczy surmised that 
you should disclose to me their names, 3 they would never have 
informed you, nor sent you to Schumla. And this little acci- 
dent ruined the whole infernal plot! I and the English Am- 
bassador, seizing the thread of the intrigue, which you gave 
into my hands, succeeded in discovering the whole conspira- 
tors, and the plan by which it was to be executed, and destroy- 
ed it entirely. Under existing circumstances you became a 
very important being in the eyes of the Austrian Government, 
and unaware or regardless of your own position, instead of 
avoiding the slightest contact with the Austrians, you gave them 
cause to prosecute you as an assassin, and to reclaim you from 
the Divan, as an Austrian deserter. I heard of your precari- 
ous condition in Schumla; knowing that your existence affected 
much the Austrian Minister, also that this gentleman had some 
interest to make you silent forever. So I turned myself to the 
Divan, presented the original passport, emanating from 
my Government at Nizza Maritima, with which you came 
here, in virtue of which I reclaimed you as a Piedmontese 
subject. But they told me you evaporated from the hospital, 
and they did not know your whereabouts. Shortly after, I 
heard of your arrest v>t Varna, and I repeated my claim to 
the Divan. The Divan, after the English Minister and myself 



230 CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 

had declared to them plainly, that if they handed you to Aus- 
tria, to be hanged, we should denounce them before the Sultan 
and the whole world, as having consigned to his enemies' hang- 
man the man who saved their honor. The Divan at last said 
that they would find some pretext to save you, but dared not 
refuse directly the claims of the Russian and Austrian ambassa- 
dors. Hence the rumor in the newspapers that you are dead 
and buried. While I, unaware oi* this trick of the Turks, spread 
and stated that you had departed for Europe, in order to lessen 
or annul the vigilance of the Austrian spies. But in spite of 
all these rumors, the Austrian ambassador knows that you are 
not dead, nor gone, and there are the strictest measures taken 
to detect you. God be loved, till now you have fortunately 
escaped, and I hope you are now entirely safe, providing you 
do not put your foot out of my doors while at Constantinople.'' 

" Well, sir," said I, being not a little affected at what I had 
heard, "I promised to Baroa Orban to return to him this 
evening." 

" What !" exclaimed he, " Have you already been there ?" 

"Yes, I have." 

" Unhappy man, do you not know that he is thorougly an 
Austrian spy ?" 

" Your Excellency is the second person who has told me 
the same." 

l: And there will be one hundred of us who will say the same. 
He is acknowledged and considered by every respectable man 
as such." 

" Sad enough, to find such a kind of a man," said I. " But 
his son and servant are waiting for me in the coffee-house op- 
posite." 

" Let them go. " Here he rang the bell, and gave order to 
his servant to cross the street and inform the young man whom 
he knew as young Baron Orban, that Mr. Bardy was gone by 
the back door. 



CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 231 

" And now," said I, " can I not have satisfaction for these 
injuries and sufferings to which I have been unjustly subjected ?" 

" No, my dear friend, If you give any sign of your exist- 
ence, you will compromise the Divan, who officially stated that 
you are dead and buried, while the Austrian ambassador, as 
you lie very heavily on his heart, will once more use the pre- 
text by which you were persecuted. But even suppose that 
you should come not into the Austrian, but into the Turkish 
prison during your trial, they could and would find means to 
send you into mute eternity. You can do nothing else than 
wait here quietly in my house, till an opportunity shall present 
itself to embark for England. For you are not safe on the 
Turkish territory. If you shall once be in a free land, you may 
write your history, and people who are able to appreciate self- 
sacrifice and virtue will give you satisfaction, as well as your 
own conscience." 

Here we closed the conversation, for the night was late, or 

rather morning early, and retired to bed. The reader may 

well imagine that I was so much affected in relation to the old 

Baron Orban, that it had shaken my entire faith in the human 

race. 

On the following morning I found an entirely new suit of 

clothes, and my old garments missed. I saw this was the pre- 
ventive doings of the minister, and dressing myself like an 
American or Parisian dandy, I was invited to breakfast. Du- 
ring this, the minister related my story to his beautiful and 
good wife, which caused no little sensation in the officers of the 
Embassy, who were also present. 

" Well," said the minister, when we two remained at the 
table, " I know now your character perfectly well, I know also 
your feelings, which perhaps one minute are calm, but the 
next breaks out with violence. So I thought," continued he* 
smiling, " I would give orders to my servants, that should you 
■wish to go out, they must resist it, even with force ! I am not 
sure whether you would bring Count Sturmer to me, as you 



232 CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 

brought the Austrian Consul to Kossuth, and I am not very- 
desirous to see him ; for I and the English minister Stratfort 
Canning, lately presented a note to the Divan, wishing the im- 
mediate dismissal of His Excellency, as we could not serve with 
a man of his stamp.*" He also gave orders to the servants, that 
if the old Baron should inquire after me, he must be told that 
I was gone. 

Among other less important matters, the ambassador also rela- 
ted to me, that Baron Orban had recently gained a very favor- 
able verdict in his law-suits, which was directly to be attributed 
to the Austrian ambassador. He affirmed also that he has 
more than enough proofs to state publicly that the old Baron 
was in the secret service of Austria, 

I had now rather a comfortable sojourn, after incessant wan- 
derings, imprisonment and sickness. It entirely established my 
health. At last an opportunity came to embark for England. 

Captain Antonio Copola, proprietor of the merchant vessel, 
Washington, from Chiaveri,| to whom the minister introduced 
me, with a short sketch of my tribulations, received me with 
the greatest pleasure. He declared at the same time to the 
minister, that all his property was his vessel, but could he bring 
Kossuth and his companions out from the Turkish captivity, 
and land them on the shores of the free America, he would 
with pleasure see the next minute his vessel go to pieces and 
would be willing to become a penniless old beggar. Accord- 
ingly T embarked on the 20th of June, and after a lonesome 
and tiresome voyage of seventy-three days, we were compelled 
by adverse winds to enter the bay of Cork, in Ireland — instead 
of Liverpool, which was our destination. This was on the 
morning of the 5th of September, 1850. 



* And in fact he was shortly afterward dismissed, and probably was rewarded by 
Austria with a cross or star, as Haynau was for tbe high merit of having peace- 
fully suffered the blows inflicted by the men and women of Barkley & Perkin's 
brewery, in London. 

■f Situated near the city of Genoa, on the Mediterranean shores — a fine sbip- 
building place. 



I 



CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. - 233 

For me now remains but a few words to say. These are, 
that beside the testimonials which I here append to this volume, 
I invoke Almighty God as my witness, that what I have here 
written, literally so happened ; that this volume is not a fabri- 
cation, but history — no fiction, but the real picture of human 
life. To judge whether I deserve more blame, or praise, for 
my management, I leave entirely to the public. For myself, I 
am convinced that I have done the best under such a tem- 
perament and condition of mind and heart as mine were and 
are. And I finally add, that after I deserted the Austrian flag 
I became persuaded that there are sometimes greater monsters 
in citizen garments than in Austrian or Russian uniforms, in 
which alone I was accustomed to seek and find them. I be- 
came persuaded that there are Jesuits covered with citizen gar- 
ments, who are more dangerous to humanity than those 
who wear their long black reverenda. And I became persua- 
ded that there are citizens professing themselves Democrats and 
Republicans, and Christians, while they are more base tyrants 
than corporals of the Austrian army — more base Pagans 
than the so-called Mohammedans. 

But now I bid good-bye to my reader, wishing him in his 
daily devotion to raise to the Almighty this, my most fervent 
prayer, "From Tyrants, Satellites and Jesuits, good Lord, de- 
liver us." 



(copy.) 

This is to testify, that the bearer, Mr. Rudolph Bardy, now 
an exile, is a Hungarian officer, brave, of undaunted personal 
courage, and warmly devoted to his native land, and its freedom 
and independence, to whom also I feel personally indebted, for 
his having opposed, according to his best abilities, against a 
malignant plot of ustrian enemies, against myself during 



234 - CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNKSF. 

my stay in the Turkish Empire, by -which, and other daring 
acts, he has particularly signalized himself to the hatred and 
persecution of that dynasty which so treacherously oppressed 
my fatherland. 

[L. S.] LOUIS KOSSUTH, mp. 

Washington City, 15th April, 1852. 



(copy.) 

Mr. Rudolph Bardy has rendered a valuable service to Gov- 
ernor Kossuth, by discovering a plot planned by Mr. Jazmagy, 
presently Austrian Consul at Kutaia. Mr. Bardy was arrested 
on the charge of insulting the Anstrian Consul, and may be 
thankful for his liberty, as well to his own courage as to the 
attachment of some of his countrymen — also to the generous 
intervention of His Excellency, Baron Tecco, Sardinian Minis- 
ter at Constantinople. 

FRANCIS PULSZKY. 

London, January 18th, 1851. 



( COPY.) 



We, the undersigned, companions of Governor Louis Kos- 
suth, exiles, do hereby testify, that Rodolph Bardy, First Lieut, 
of the Piedmontese Hungarian Legion , is the very person who 
discovered an infamous plot planned against the Governor's life, 
while in the Turkish Empire. 

* * * * * * * 

Finally, we testify, that Mr. Rudolph Bardy is the very per 
eou who, in the year 1850, was reported and published in the 



CRIME IN ITS NAKEDNESS. 235 

European papers as dead and buried. We beg to recommend 
him to the friends of history, and of historical truth. 
Chicago, Not. 28th, 1851. 

JOSEPH BRICK, Mayor. 
ANTHONY TAI^ACS, Capt. 
STEPHEN BUKOVICH, Captain, 
and thirty others. 





ERRATA. ' 


CORRIGE. 


Page. 


Line. 






15 


10 


Laseiatelo. 


Lasciatelo. 


18 


30 


CasseJlibz. 


Castellitz. 


43 


9 


Jesu. 


Jesus. 


46 


24 


Proposit, disposit. 


Proponit, disponit. 


id. 


28 


Tract. 


Track. 


id. 


30 


Marshal. 


Martial. 


51 


2 


Castellibz. 


Castellitz. 


75 


14 


L 


Io. 


id. 


27 


Vagyor. 


Vagyok. 


95 


last. 


4 miles. 


i mile. 


132 


10 


Without. 


With. 


136 


20 


Otuer, 


Otur. 



< 



